<p>Bengaluru: Gynaecologists and fertility experts in Bengaluru are seeing an increased inclination among women towards freezing their eggs. From just one or two queries a month five years ago to three to four patients every week, egg freezing is gaining popularity among young women.</p>.<p>DH spoke to doctors and consultants at a host of fertility clinics and hospitals to understand how the procedure was sought.</p>.<p>"There has definitely been a noticeable increase in enquiries about egg freezing. When we first started practicing IVF and reproductive medicine five to ten years ago, we would receive one to two enquiries per month, sometimes even one to two every three months. Today, we see around three to four patients every week interested in egg freezing," said Dr Arunima Haldar, Consultant – IVF & Reproductive Medicine at a well-known hospital in Whitefield.</p>.<p>Increased awareness has made more women consider the option and this has specially been the case after the Covid pandemic.</p>.<p>"The shift really picked up after the pandemic, when many women reassessed life plans, careers and timelines. Bengaluru's young professionals are now far more aware of fertility options than they were a few years ago," said Dr Pranathi Aravind, Senior Consultant - Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at a hospital in Kengeri.</p>.<p>Women had various reasons to opt for egg freezing, from career ambitions to uncertainty about starting a family. Doctors noted that egg freezing helped women gain control over their life and choices.</p>.<p>"Today’s women are a perfect blend of ambition and tradition who want to scale heights both academically and professionally without missing the joys of parenthood and a loving family. Egg freezing gives her the freedom of planning pregnancy only when she is ready," said Dr Meghana Nyapathi, Cluster Head - Reproductive Medicine, at a well-known fertility Hospital in J P Nagar.</p>.<p>Speaking to DH, a 30-year-old woman said she chose to freeze her eggs since she did not want to give up on good opportunities in her career. "I had good opportunities in my career as soon as I completed my masters in biosciences. I landed myself in a project wherein I would have to work in the US for the next four years. Marriage was a big 'No' till I completed my project. That's when a friend suggested egg freezing. Whether married or not, I still opted to freeze my egg at an age when I was less stressed," she spoke on the condition of anonymity.</p>.<p>That apart, egg freezing is also a great option for women with medical conditions. "From a medical perspective, it is an essential one for female patients with endometriosis and those who will be treated with cancer therapies which may lead to loss of the ovaries' function. For these women, the freezing of their eggs will be an insurance which will enable them to have a child of their own later on," said Dr Pallavi Prasad, Fertility Specialist at a fertility centre in Basaveshwara Nagar.</p>.<p>Doctors advise that women should opt for egg freezing before they turn 30. "Fertility declines sharply after 35, and egg quality is the first to drop. Freezing eggs in your late twenties or early thirties keeps that biological clock from dictating every life decision. I tell my patients that it gives you more breathing room — emotionally and medically," Dr Pranathi said.</p>.<p>It is also important to follow a healthy lifestyle before the procedure. "Following a healthy lifestyle for 3-6 months prior to the intervention — without smoking and drinking, good sleep and nutrition — will help get a favourable result," said Dr Nayana D H, Consultant – IVF at a hospital in Whitefield.</p>.<p>Once frozen, the eggs can be kept healthy for up to ten years or more. "With modern vitrification procedures we employ now, as opposed to slow freezing used earlier, eggs can be stored safely for many years without a meaningful decline in quality. The freezing process halts all biological activity, so the eggs retain the age and genetic potential they had at the time of retrieval," said Dr Anupama Ashok, Senior Consultant, Fertility Expert at a fertility hospital in Hebbal.</p>.<p>In Bengaluru, the cost of egg freezing varies between Rs 1.2 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh along with an annual fee between Rs 10,000 and Rs 30,000.</p>.<p>Many fertility clinics and specialised hospitals provide such services and owing to an increase in interest, many hospitals have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with such clinics or hospitals to enable egg freezing.</p>
<p>Bengaluru: Gynaecologists and fertility experts in Bengaluru are seeing an increased inclination among women towards freezing their eggs. From just one or two queries a month five years ago to three to four patients every week, egg freezing is gaining popularity among young women.</p>.<p>DH spoke to doctors and consultants at a host of fertility clinics and hospitals to understand how the procedure was sought.</p>.<p>"There has definitely been a noticeable increase in enquiries about egg freezing. When we first started practicing IVF and reproductive medicine five to ten years ago, we would receive one to two enquiries per month, sometimes even one to two every three months. Today, we see around three to four patients every week interested in egg freezing," said Dr Arunima Haldar, Consultant – IVF & Reproductive Medicine at a well-known hospital in Whitefield.</p>.<p>Increased awareness has made more women consider the option and this has specially been the case after the Covid pandemic.</p>.<p>"The shift really picked up after the pandemic, when many women reassessed life plans, careers and timelines. Bengaluru's young professionals are now far more aware of fertility options than they were a few years ago," said Dr Pranathi Aravind, Senior Consultant - Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at a hospital in Kengeri.</p>.<p>Women had various reasons to opt for egg freezing, from career ambitions to uncertainty about starting a family. Doctors noted that egg freezing helped women gain control over their life and choices.</p>.<p>"Today’s women are a perfect blend of ambition and tradition who want to scale heights both academically and professionally without missing the joys of parenthood and a loving family. Egg freezing gives her the freedom of planning pregnancy only when she is ready," said Dr Meghana Nyapathi, Cluster Head - Reproductive Medicine, at a well-known fertility Hospital in J P Nagar.</p>.<p>Speaking to DH, a 30-year-old woman said she chose to freeze her eggs since she did not want to give up on good opportunities in her career. "I had good opportunities in my career as soon as I completed my masters in biosciences. I landed myself in a project wherein I would have to work in the US for the next four years. Marriage was a big 'No' till I completed my project. That's when a friend suggested egg freezing. Whether married or not, I still opted to freeze my egg at an age when I was less stressed," she spoke on the condition of anonymity.</p>.<p>That apart, egg freezing is also a great option for women with medical conditions. "From a medical perspective, it is an essential one for female patients with endometriosis and those who will be treated with cancer therapies which may lead to loss of the ovaries' function. For these women, the freezing of their eggs will be an insurance which will enable them to have a child of their own later on," said Dr Pallavi Prasad, Fertility Specialist at a fertility centre in Basaveshwara Nagar.</p>.<p>Doctors advise that women should opt for egg freezing before they turn 30. "Fertility declines sharply after 35, and egg quality is the first to drop. Freezing eggs in your late twenties or early thirties keeps that biological clock from dictating every life decision. I tell my patients that it gives you more breathing room — emotionally and medically," Dr Pranathi said.</p>.<p>It is also important to follow a healthy lifestyle before the procedure. "Following a healthy lifestyle for 3-6 months prior to the intervention — without smoking and drinking, good sleep and nutrition — will help get a favourable result," said Dr Nayana D H, Consultant – IVF at a hospital in Whitefield.</p>.<p>Once frozen, the eggs can be kept healthy for up to ten years or more. "With modern vitrification procedures we employ now, as opposed to slow freezing used earlier, eggs can be stored safely for many years without a meaningful decline in quality. The freezing process halts all biological activity, so the eggs retain the age and genetic potential they had at the time of retrieval," said Dr Anupama Ashok, Senior Consultant, Fertility Expert at a fertility hospital in Hebbal.</p>.<p>In Bengaluru, the cost of egg freezing varies between Rs 1.2 lakh and Rs 2.5 lakh along with an annual fee between Rs 10,000 and Rs 30,000.</p>.<p>Many fertility clinics and specialised hospitals provide such services and owing to an increase in interest, many hospitals have signed Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with such clinics or hospitals to enable egg freezing.</p>