When patients in Tampa, Florida find themselves needing fertility services, they seek the counsel of reputable fertility specialists in the area with knowledge of treatments such as egg freezing. While the concept of egg freezing may sound straight forward, the reasons behind such a service may not be so clear. Some may classify this as still an experimental procedure, although many clinics offer egg freezing as a service. In essence, the procedure allows women to freeze unfertilized eggs for implantation at a later date.

This may be an attractive procedure for couples undergoing in vitro fertilization or other assisted reproductive technologies. As women produce only a limited number of eggs in their lifetime before egg production declines and halts, women who believe they have a limited number of fertile years remaining may freeze their eggs for a later date. Some women may want children, but have not found a partner and want to freeze their eggs for when they do find a partner. Others may focus on their careers before starting a family, and freeze their eggs for when they are ready to start having children.

Cancer patients may find egg freezing beneficial prior to undergoing chemotherapy or other cancer treatments. These treatments may damage women's eggs and having eggs frozen in advance may keep the option of having children open. Still, some religious beliefs prohibit women from freezing embryos so they choose to freeze their eggs instead. There may be several instances in which egg freezing may prove to be beneficial to a woman or a couple, so speaking to a fertility specialist at a reputable fertility clinic in the Tampa area is encouraged. The fertility specialist will speak to patients regarding the pros and cons of egg freezing and whether the procedure is right for them.

The procedure requires several weeks of hormone therapy that increases the production of eggs and controls the menstrual cycle. To ensure a high rate of success, women may be required to freeze multiple eggs. To perform the procedure, the fertility specialist inserts a needle through the vagina. The needle is guided by ultrasound technology and the eggs are extracted. During this procedure, the woman is sedated for her comfort.

The freezing process is called cryopreservation. There may be two different techniques used to freeze the eggs. A newer technique, called vitrification, may offer quicker freezing, while the slow freeze technique involves a slower rate of freezing. Speaking to a medical professional regarding these types of freezing techniques may be important for patients or couples interested in this procedure.

The thawing process for unfertilized eggs may carry a lower success rate than the thawing process of embryos. Additionally, women may be exposed to certain risks from the hormonal treatment required to produce multiple eggs. Speaking to a medical professional regarding these risks is important for those interested in egg freezing.