More Bengaluru women opting for egg freezing now

Bengaluru women are increasingly turning to egg freezing to have children on their own terms. The procedure is largely sought by unmarried and career-focused women. Some married women are exploring it too.

A 31-year-old UX-UR consultant began the procedure after regular jibes about her hectic job and single status. “Even if I meet someone later, we still have a chance to start a family,” she reasons.

A 33-year-old Sarjapur resident also took this route, citing her demanding corporate job. She had discussed the option with her husband.

Dr Sharvari Mundhe, consultant reproductive medicine and fertility specialist at a Sarjapur IVF centre, says most of her patients are working professionals aged 27-36. She shares a recent case of a married woman who came to freeze her eggs. “Her marriage was on the rocks. She wanted a child but wasn’t sure she wanted her current partner to be the father,” she explains. 

A 41-year-old woman visited Dr Apurva Satish Amarnath, a fertility specialist at IVF centres in Yelahanka and Kalyan Nagar, to discuss egg freezing after a breakup. She wanted to keep her fertility options open, says Dr Apurva.

Celeb influence

Egg freezing enquiries have jumped 25 per cent over five years at a Banashankari IVF centre. Its medical director, Dr Vidya V Bhat, says, “Earlier, only embryos were frozen during IVF with a partner’s sperm. Egg freezing for single women was rare.”

She says media coverage, and celebrities opting for the procedure have helped normalise the idea. About 80 per cent of Dr Vidya’s cases now involve unmarried women postponing pregnancy for professional reasons.

“We get 1-2 enquiries daily and do 3-4 procedures a month, up from once in three months two years ago,” she shares. 

Women aged 28 to 33, especially 29-year-olds, form the majority of such patients, says Dr Vidya. “It’s usually those with demanding careers or with opportunities to work abroad who enquire. Many are well-informed about their fertility through AMH (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) tests,” she adds.

Even at Dr Sharvari’s centre, a bulk of enquiries are from unmarried professionals. In 2024, she would get 3-4 cases in six months. Now, she sees 3-4 cases every month.

Some corporate companies now offer premium insurance plans that cover the procedure, making it more accessible, adds Dr Sharvari.

Process and safety

Women are born with about 1 lakh eggs, most of which are lost over time. “Egg freezing rescues eggs that would otherwise go to waste,” says Dr Vidya. The ideal age for freezing is 20-30, extending up to 33, she adds.

Dr Sharvari adds that the minimally invasive procedure is done under short anaesthesia with under 1 per cent risk. According to these experts, they may experience temporary side effects like breast pain, weight gain, nausea, bloating or mood swings. “But there aren’t any significant long-term risks,” says Dr Apurva. She recommends freezing the eggs before 35.

Law says

India’s Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2022, allows eggs to be stored for up to 10 years. The procedure is permitted for women aged 21 to 50.