It is now possible for women to freeze eggs on a non-medical basis. Amendments to the Biotechnology Act in 2020 make this possible. This means that those who have not found the right one or, for other reasons, do not want to get pregnant right now can freeze eggs and thus prolong their fertile age. Freezing eggs is an offer more and more women and couples are taking advantage of.
Klinikk Hausken has received inquiries from many women regarding the new offer, and there is increasing demand. Freezing eggs and fertility, in general, is a current topic of the day and is constantly mentioned in the media. Bergens Tidende had an interesting article in BT Magasinet on Friday 30 April where the reader gets an insight into Antje Sandven's experience with egg freezing, so-called "social freezing", at Klinikk Hausken.
We find the article and Antje's story relevant and certainly useful for those who are curious on what egg freezing really is, and how the patient experiences it. Why did Antje (36) choose to freeze eggs - so-called social freezing?
The situation of Antje (36), as the article tells, is that she has already had her first child, but her fertility decreases rapidly due to poor egg reserves. Since she is not in a steady relationship right now and does not want a second child as a single, she chooses to freeze eggs. As she herself says, she buys herself some time.
Antje had to go through hormonal stimulation with daily injections for about two weeks. She had an ultrasound examination at Klinikk Hausken in Bergen before the egg retrieval. There she met, among others, gynaecologist Kirsten Øvergaard Hope and nurse Synnøve Flotve. For the actual egg retrieval and freezing, she travelled to the clinic in Haugesund. At Klinikk Hausken in Haugesund, she received help from gynaecologist Arne Schwennicke, nurse Elise Amundsen and embryologist Shabana Sayed.
There are many reasons why women freeze eggs.
We have received many inquiries from women and couples who want social freezing. Klinikk Hausken expects the demand to increase as more people become aware of the offer and what it entails. Antje's story, which Bergens Tidende shares with its readers, shows that each patient has their unique background and reason for making the choice. At the same time, we see that there are several things that often recur. Let's look at some of these.
Reasons for egg freezing: women are older when they have children.
During the last 20 years in Norway, the average age of first-time births has increased by three years. Now the average age is about 30 years. This means that first-time births are at the age when egg quality begins to decline sharply. This is one of the main reasons why we are seeing a growing problem of couples and singles not getting pregnant. For more and more people, egg freeze is becoming a way to buy some time. First and foremost, the quality of the eggs determines how much chance you have of getting pregnant with an egg freezer. Egg quality decreases as you get older. A healthy woman under the age of 35 who freezes her eggs has a 90% chance of having at least one child if she freezes 20 mature eggs.
Reasons for egg freezing: women and couples do not think about a second child until they don't have time on their side.
Antje's story is quite typical in the sense that it concerns the second child. If you are in your 20s, you may not think that you are in a hurry to have children. So then you might be 30 before you start to take it seriously. But at the same time, as you have reached the age of 30, the egg quality decreases, and the woman's natural fertility falls. Then the chance of getting pregnant quickly decreases - many feel they are fighting against time. As Antje says, the big questions had to come up quite early in a relationship or dating. For Antje, the solution was to buy a little more time with an egg freezer.
Reasons for egg freezing: many women feel that everything should work out before having children.
Today we study longer than before, and for many, the focus afterwards is on their careers. The queation about having children does not come up until you are in your late 20s or around thirty. But even then, a lot of things have to line up in the form of partner, living situation, health and much more. The fact that the average age has increased by three years does not sound so dramatic, but by waiting for everything to work out, time often passes. And as we know, the natural fertility of women declines rapidly after the age of thirty.
Reasons for egg freezing: in case of illness or treatment.
Women who have to undergo treatment in case of illness that can cause infertility, have had the opportunity to freeze eggs for many years . This offer will continue, and perhaps even more women will use the offer as there is an increased focus on the subject of egg freezing.
How much does it cost to freeze eggs at Klinikk Hausken?
As of today, it costs 29,900 kroner to freeze eggs at Klinikk Hausken (including one year of storage). See the price list for any time updated price. The offer of egg freezing (social freezing) is currently only available at Klinikk Hausken in Haugesund, but the offer of freezing eggs will soon be available at Hausken's clinics in Oslo, Bergen and Stavanger. Until further notice, you can have pre-treatment and ultrasound in the department that is closest.
Too many people arrive late for egg freezing or other fertility treatment at the fertility clinic.
Many women and couples arrive at the fertility clinic late. You often hear this if you talk to doctors, nurses, and professionals who work daily with fertility. The increasing age of first-time mothers, combined with the naturally declining fertility of women in their 30s, means that many are fighting against time and may not be able to fulfil their dream of having children. Do not wait too long - this is the advice many professionals repeat. Plan well in advance with The Fertility Test at Klinikk Hausken. For most people, egg freezing is a decision that is a long way off. In the article in Bergens Tidende, Klinikk Hausken's Dr. Arne Schwennicke advises women to think about combining children and family with career, rather than having a career as a priority and thinking that the family will sort itself out at a later stage. Another good piece of advice is to be careful and examine fertility status well in advance.
At Klinikk Hausken, both singles and couples are offered the opportunity to map their fertility status. We call it The Fertility Test. The test is adapted to women, couples and men in different situations. It is also the first point for those who want to freeze eggs. The Fertility Test gives you an overview of your fertility, and it can make it easier for you to plan ahead and avoid surprises.
Specialist in gynaecology and obstetrics.
