The Oocyte Cryopreservation process is not a new achievement, but it starts in the mid-eighties of the last century. Three years ago, the phenomenon of Oocyte Cryopreservation sparked a media controversy when big companies such as Apple, Google, and Facebook suggested to their female employees this service and bear its costs to devote themselves to their professional lives and get rid of the obsession with the biological clock and childbearing at a later age.

But what are the reasons that lead a woman to think about Oocyte Cryopreservation?

The past years have witnessed a noticeable medical development in many malignant diseases treatment, which increased the rate of recovery and survival. This development gives women the chance to have children later. This type of treatment may eliminate the ovaries’ function, but now it is possible to resort to Oocyte Cryopreservation before starting this treatment to preserve fertility.

There are also autoimmune diseases and Chromosomal syndromes such as fragile X syndrome, which increase the risk of early menopause, and in both cases, Oocyte Cryopreservation can be used to preserve fertility.

Oocyte Cryopreservation may be an appropriate solution for women who wish to delay childbearing to devote themselves to building a career or in cases of late marriage.

From a technical point of view, initially, the ovaries are stimulated to produce a sufficient number of ova, which are obtained through a simple procedure under local or general anesthesia, where ova are withdrawn through the vagina. This process is an easy and routine procedure and is not usually associated with pain.

After obtaining the ova, they are prepared in the embryo lab, where they are dried from the water and then added to the cell antifreeze (to prevent ice formation and cell membrane cracking). They are kept at minus 196 degrees in liquid nitrogen. Multiple studies have proven that the genetic factor is not affected by the freezing technique.

There is no specific number of ova to ensure pregnancy success, as the pregnancy rate is related to several things. The most important of which is the woman’s age during obtaining and freezing the ova, where the ideal age is up to 35 years. In addition to age,  the quality and number of ova are also important. I believe that 20 is a good number.

As for ensuring the success of the operation, contrary to popular belief, it is not guaranteed. This way gives women, in certain circumstances, the opportunity to get pregnant. Studies have shown that ova can be kept frozen for more than ten years if this is done under ideal conditions.

In the end, I would like to point out that the development of life, the increase in its pace, the increase in the participation of women and men in working life, and the increasing interest of many women in building a professional future will increase the rate of performing this operation in the future. As I mentioned earlier, increasing the rate of recovery and survival after infection with some malignant diseases gives the woman the chance to have a child after the healing. Here, I emphasize the need to increase the awareness of societies towards medical developments, especially in this field. Because of the fact, that will automatically impose on these societies harmony with these developments unless it contradicts Sharia and morals.