quebec to publicly fund one cycle of in vitro fertilization
the procedure costs at least $6,000, not including the price of the cocktail of hormones a patient must take.
“i was also freezing my eggs, because as all good career women out there should know, if that’s something that interests you…it’s better to do it a bit earlier if you can.” she explained . “so, i was thinking about fertility and having good quality eggs in the bank, so i was like, ‘ok, i’m going to do this. i’m going to get healthy.’”
freezing and storing eggs is becoming more common as the safety and efficacy of the procedure improves. egg storage in the u.k. increased by 240 per cent from 2012 to 2018 according to the human fertilisation & embryology authority, u.k.’s independent regulator of fertility treatment and research.
if a person chooses to freeze their eggs, also known as oocyte cryopreservation , they will first be prescribed hormones — usually given by injection — to stimulate the ovaries’ production of eggs for collection.
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the actual collection, called transvaginal ultrasound aspiration, is typically done under general anaesthesia and guided by an ultrasound probe. a needle is inserted through the vaginal wall and into the follicles, according to mayo clinic . the eggs are gently aspirated into a collection tube through the needle, where they are then dehydrated and stored.
once collected, the eggs are frozen in a process called vitrification , where they are mixed with a substance the prevents the formation of ice crystals and then flash frozen to almost -200 degrees celsius.
potential side effects from the procedure include bloating or abdominal pain, according to webmd . some may develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome from the prescribed hormones. it is also important to understand that freezing the eggs is not a guarantee of a successful pregnancy down the road, as many factors contribute to the development an implantation of an embryo.
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in canada, freezing and storing eggs for “social” reasons (not prompted by illness) is not covered by public health agencies. however, some private or company-provided insurance plans may provide coverage, according to the cbc . there also exist canadian not-for-profits that will help cover the cost of fertility preservation treatments for individuals who are pursuing them as a result of a cancer diagnosis or other illnesses.
costs vary between clinics, however, one facility lists the cost of egg retrieval as $7,650, cryogenic storage from $350-$500 per year, and embryo transfer as $4,100, among other fees. once frozen, eggs can be stored for decades with little to no effect on the health and ability of the egg.