How Does Fertility Preservation Work?

Having children is a big decision, and sometimes planning ahead is the best way for individuals and couples to make the best possible choices regarding their future. Thanks to advances in modern technology and medical science, doctors are now able to preserve male and female fertility to allow for the opportunity to have children later on down the line.

If, for whatever reason, you wish to preserve your eggs or sperm, you can let go of any current pressures to have children and take control in your own hands. With fertility preservation treatments, you can look forward to a future where you get to decide if and when to expand your family.

Why Fertility Preservation?

There are several reasons people choose to seek fertility preservation. For some people, women especially, they may choose to preserve their eggs while they’re at their peak years for ovulation so as to ensure they have the best possible chance of conceiving when they do choose to do so.

In other cases, individuals may choose to preserve their eggs or sperm if they have been diagnosed with a serious medical condition, such as cancer, that could affect their fertility. Certain medical treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation, can negatively affect male and female fertility, especially when radiation is administered in the lower abdominal region. By preserving fertility, the person undergoing treatment can still look forward to the possibility of parenthood after they’ve regained their health.

Preservation for Eggs

For women, fertility preservation usually refers to egg freezing, or vitrification. Even though it may seem like a common procedure, freezing unfertilized eggs can be complex and should always be handled by an experienced, skilled fertility doctor. During this process, the woman will start by taking fertility medication for a specified period of time, depending on individual circumstances. Eventually, the doctor will perform an egg retrieval procedure and will freeze all usable, healthy eggs. 

Alternately, if you and your partner wish to preserve fertilized eggs, the same process will apply, but the egg will be fertilized by the partner’s sperm before it is frozen and preserved. This process is referred to as in-vitro fertilization.

Male Preservation

Although men usually have less to fear when it comes to fertility time constraints, they may still wish to preserve their fertility for medical reasons. In most cases, men choose to preserve their sperm when they have been diagnosed with cancer or another medical condition that puts their ability to father children at risk. However, through sperm cryopreservation, the male semen can be collected and frozen for future use.

If you are interested in freezing your eggs or preserving your sperm to improve your chances of successful reproduction later on, our medical team can help. We understand how the pressure to have children can be stressful during your peak child-bearing years, and we also know how scary it is to face a cancer diagnosis before you’ve completed your family. Whatever your reasons, we are here to help you preserve your fertility with our safe, advanced medical techniques.

Contact Palm Beach Fertility Center to discuss your fertility options with our team.