#socialeggfreezing has become the buzz word in Singapore and will be legally allowed from January 2023.

While it is a giant step forward for women to control their fertility, there are facts that you should know before deciding if you should do social egg freezing.

#1 What is social egg freezing and what procedure is needed?

Social egg freezing (SEF) means to store the eggs (oocytes) of a woman for future fertility when she wants to conceive with IVF. It involves daily hormonal injections for 2 weeks and a egg-retrieval procedure is planned to retrieve the stimulated eggs.

#2 Why social egg freezing?

SEF allows women to freeze and optimize the egg quality at a younger age as oocyte quality will decline with age especially above 35. Note that the legal age of SEF is up to 35 in Singapore. So do consider before you hit 35.

#3 How do I know if I need SEF?

See a doctor to assess if you are considering SEF programme. If your menses are irregular or your ovulation tests have been negative, you may have polycystic ovary syndrome which can affect your chance of fertility. Conversely, some women may have premature ovarian failure (menopause). Do your blood hormone test and anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) to find out. Try to download PCOSg app to predict your fertility.

#4 How much does it cost in Singapore?

This will depend on your doctor and IVF centre charges. Also, the public and private centre charge may differ. In general, it is expensive and may set you back $10-12 K.

#5 What is success rate of SEF?

In general, egg harvesting should be successful. However, whether the eggs are of good quality and usable in future, it is an unknown. Vitrification, which is the preferred freezing method, has 75% “thaw” survival rate. Studies show that only 10% of women who freeze eggs, conceive in future by test-tube (IVF) procedure. Remember, SEF does not guarantee future pregnancy.

#6 What are your risks of SEF?

Injection pain, ovarian hyperstimulation which causes bloating and breathless, infection are possible rare complications, although it is a generally safe procedure.

#eggfreezing#IVF#risks