Balaji Horizon Women’s Hospital · Ahmedabad
Fertility Preservation in Ahmedabad
Egg Freezing, Embryo Freezing & Oncofertility
Fertility preservation offers women the opportunity to protect their reproductive potential before it is affected by age, cancer treatment, surgery, or medical conditions. Vitrification (rapid egg freezing) has transformed outcomes — survival rates now exceed 90% in experienced centres.
What Is Fertility Preservation?
Fertility preservation refers to medical procedures that protect a person’s ability to have biological children in the future. The primary approaches are oocyte (egg) vitrification, embryo cryopreservation, and ovarian tissue cryopreservation — each with distinct indications, success rates, and logistical considerations.
The science has advanced dramatically with vitrification — an ultra-rapid freezing technique that virtually eliminates ice crystal formation, preserving cellular integrity and dramatically improving post-thaw survival and fertilisation rates compared to older slow-freezing methods.
ASRM removed the “experimental” designation from oocyte cryopreservation in 2012. Today, it is a standard of care for oncofertility and an accepted option for elective (social) egg freezing.
Who Should Consider Fertility Preservation?
Oncofertility — Before Cancer Treatment
Chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and certain surgeries can permanently damage ovarian function. Urgent pre-treatment egg or embryo freezing is the standard of care for eligible patients.
Endometriosis & Ovarian Surgery
Repeat surgery on endometriomas progressively reduces ovarian reserve. Egg freezing before planned surgery — or when AMH is declining — is a proactive fertility protection strategy.
Premature Ovarian Insufficiency (POI)
Women diagnosed with POI or at genetic risk (e.g. Fragile X premutation, Turner mosaic) benefit from early preservation when ovarian activity is still present.
Social / Elective Egg Freezing
Women choosing to delay childbearing for personal or professional reasons can preserve eggs at optimal reproductive age. Best outcomes are achieved before age 35, ideally before 38.
Autoimmune Disease
Conditions like lupus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis requiring cyclophosphamide or other gonadotoxic agents carry significant risk to ovarian function — preservation should be discussed proactively.
Declining Ovarian Reserve
Women with low AMH who are not ready to conceive but wish to protect future options can benefit from banking eggs before reserve declines further.
Methods of Fertility Preservation
Oocyte Vitrification (Egg Freezing)
The most common method. Eggs are retrieved after 10–12 days of controlled ovarian stimulation, then vitrified using ultra-rapid cooling. Post-thaw survival rates exceed 90% with modern vitrification. Does not require a partner or sperm donor. The number of eggs needed to achieve a reasonable live birth chance depends on age and embryo quality.
Best for: Single women, cancer patients, endometriosis, declining reserve
Embryo Cryopreservation
Eggs are retrieved, fertilised with partner or donor sperm, and the resulting embryos vitrified. Embryos are genetically stable entities — vitrification has an excellent track record. This is the most established method with the longest outcome data.
Best for: Couples, patients with partners, freeze-all IVF cycles
Ovarian Tissue Cryopreservation
A strip of ovarian cortex is removed laparoscopically, frozen, and re-transplanted after cancer treatment remission. Particularly relevant for prepubertal girls and women who cannot delay cancer treatment for ovarian stimulation. Oncological safety considerations apply for certain cancers.
Best for: Pre-pubertal patients, urgent cancer cases, haematological malignancies
Fertility Preservation & Endometriosis
Endometriosis deserves particular attention in fertility preservation counselling. Ovarian endometriomas directly damage the ovarian cortex and reduce functional follicle density. Each surgical intervention for endometriomas — however carefully performed — causes further irreversible reduction in ovarian reserve.
This creates a critical decision point: for young women with endometriomas and no immediate fertility plans, the question of whether to operate, monitor, or preserve eggs first requires careful, individualized assessment.
Dr. Priyadatt Patel’s combined expertise in endometriosis surgery and reproductive medicine enables this decision to be made with the full clinical picture — surgery, ovarian reserve, and fertility timeline considered together.
Your Specialist
Dr. Priyadatt D. Patel
Senior Gynecologist · IVF & Fertility Preservation Specialist · Advanced Laparoscopic Surgeon · Endometriosis Expert
Balaji Horizon Women’s Hospital, Ahmedabad
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best age to freeze eggs?
The best outcomes are achieved before age 35. Egg quality and quantity decline with age — women under 35 typically produce more eggs per cycle and have higher post-thaw fertilisation rates. After 38, both the number of eggs needed and the cost per expected outcome increase substantially.
How many eggs should I freeze?
This depends on age and desired family size. As a general guide, 10–15 mature eggs give a reasonable chance for one live birth in women under 35. Older women may need more eggs per cycle or multiple cycles. This should be discussed based on your individual AMH and AFC.
Is egg freezing safe?
Yes. Extensive data on children born from vitrified eggs shows no increase in congenital abnormalities or developmental concerns compared to naturally conceived children. The main medical risk is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which is managed through protocol selection and monitoring.
How long can frozen eggs be stored?
Vitrified eggs can be stored for many years without significant deterioration. Storage duration limits are governed by local regulatory frameworks. Current evidence suggests vitrified eggs remain viable for at least 10 years; data beyond this is accumulating.
Protect Your Fertility Today
Whether you are facing cancer treatment, managing endometriosis, or planning ahead — early consultation is the most important step. Dr. Priyadatt Patel provides personalised fertility preservation counselling tailored to your medical and life situation.
Book Preservation Consultation →
Balaji Horizon Women’s Hospital · Science City Road, Ahmedabad 380060 · +91 9723431544