Many women want to have children in their lives. However, if you have not found the right partner, are still seeking to accomplish certain life goals, or are facing medical issues that could impact your fertility, freezing your eggs may be a beneficial option. Lauren Turk, singer of the rock band “Adult Band” and owner of the Hangout sat down to discuss her personal experience of freezing her eggs with Dr. Nathan Fox on the Healthful Woman Podcast.
Learning About Egg Freezing
Growing up in her Orthodox Jewish community, Lauren had never heard about egg freezing concerning older women. “I only heard about IVF and egg freezing for people who couldn’t get pregnant,” explained Lauren. “But I never intended or expected to be single at this stage of my life. So, I knew I wanted to freeze my eggs because I know that no matter what happens in my life, I’m going to be a parent.”
“No one ever teaches us as young adults that your egg count drops and it’s not that easy as you get older,” she continued.” It was actually shocking to me how uneducated I was in this department.”
Lauren learned about egg freezing from both her gynecologist and a friend, after which she decided that it was right for her. Ultimately, she ended up going through the process twice. While the first process was not successful, the second experience was a positive one. “The second time I did it, I was so grateful, and it was such a different experience,” she said.
The Egg Freezing Procedure
To begin her egg-freezing journey, Lauren first had an initial consultation at the clinic. They explained the process of what she should expect. She then underwent the multi-step process involved in freezing her eggs. This is the same process as for in vitro fertilization (IVF), only after egg retrieval the eggs are stored rather than fertilized. This process consists of the following.
Step 1: You will self-inject several hormone medications every day for 10-12 days. This encourages a group of eggs to develop simultaneously.
Step 2: To track the development of the eggs during this time, you will also have 4-6 pelvic ultrasounds and frequent bloodwork.
Step 3: Once the eggs have matured, you will undergo an ultrasound-guided surgical procedure to retrieve them. This is an outpatient process performed under anesthesia.
Step 4: An embryologist will then verify that the eggs are mature, which means that they have the potential to become fertilized.
Lauren ended up with 11 frozen eggs from her procedure, which she is grateful for. “Just to know that no matter what happens in my life, I will somehow be a parent… And I want this for myself.” She said. “The beauty of this policy for me is I might even not need them. I might meet somebody tomorrow and get pregnant naturally and it’ll be great. But if I do, they’re there.”
Sharing Her Egg Freezing Journey
Following her egg-freezing experience, Lauren decided to share what she learned and went through on Instagram and social media in hopes of opening up the conversation among other women. While her family asked her if she felt comfortable sharing a personal experience like that with the public, Lauren felt certain it was the right thing to do. “If I could encourage or even just educate one person..it was worth it to me,” she said. “I got a lot of DMs and I met with a few people for coffee about it and it was really helpful.”
When asked what she would tell someone else who was seeking advice regarding egg freezing, Lauren said, “, I would say do it. I would give them my number. I would FaceTime with them every night while doing their shots. I would say if you are not sure of anything, ask your nurse.”
Overall, Lauren found her egg-freezing experience to be a positive one and encourages other women to seek out information regarding their egg-freezing choices.
Learn More Today
If you are interested in inquiring about the egg-freezing process or any other pregnancy questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to Carnegie Women’s Health or MFM Associates today. Our providers will be happy to provide the proper guidance. To hear more from Dr. Fox, listen to the Healthful Woman podcast.
