Xtra
THE MALAYSIAN Medical Council
Guideline 2006 states that eggs har-
vested are not to be stored for more
than five years. However, if the patient
chooses to extend, a request in writing
may be sent to the Ministry of Health for
another extension of five years.
As for the quality of the eggs, appli-
cation of older technology may lead to
deterioration. With the changing times,
newer technology has proven to be able
to preserve the eggs for as long as 10
years.
The preservation process usually
involves eggs being placed in liquid
nitrogen at around -196°C. As a safety
measure, the incubator is attached to an
alarm system that alerts the centre if the
temperature changes.
RAISING AWARENESS
Dr Wong Pak Seng
E
GG freezing is a method that has
been developed over the years to
help women to conceive at a later,
more preferable date. One may
choose to focus more on her career, while
others - to avoid losing the opportunity to
be pregnant due to current illness.
FALLING UNDER TWO CATEGORIES
“There are two categories of patients who
resort to egg freezing,” explained Sunfert
International’s fertility specialist, Dr Wong
Pak Seng.
“Patients who undertake egg freezing
services for medical reasons are usually
motivated by the likeliness of losing their
eggs reserve due to several complications.
These usually involve surgery to remove
their cyst, genetic problems that lead to early
menopause or in some cases, diseases such
as breast cancer and lymphoma. Therefore,
presenting them with an option to freeze
their eggs allows them to regain the oppor-
tunity to have a child,” said Wong.
As for non-medical reasons, women who
are well educated usually know very well that
the fertility rate decreases after 35 and the
option to freezing their eggs earlier is avail-
able. Major companies such as Google and
Facebook have even offered the option to
freeze their eggs through employee benefit.
However, due to the lack of awareness
in Malaysia, women mostly resort to egg
freezing when they feel they are not rushing
to start a family anytime soon.
THE HARVESTING PROCESS
The egg freezing process has a similar take to
an In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) procedure.
“Without injections to stimulate the
ovaries, women only produce one egg per
month, therefore in order for more eggs to
be harvested, follicle stimulating hormone
injections are needed. After getting injected,
doctors look at a production of eight to 12
eggs. During this time, the patient is then put
under mon itoring and by day 14, the eggs are
harvested.”
“During the harvesting procedure, a vagi-
nal scan is done followed by a fine needle that
goes straight to the ovary in order to harvest
the eggs. The cleaning up of the eggs is then
Despite a bump in awareness for eggs
preservation in the country, there are
still ample room for more.
However, the procedure has been
met with some resistance by some. It is
found that religious outlooks are viewing
the whole thing as going against the act
of nature.
Sunfert International’s fertility
specialist, Dr Wong Pak Seng said that it
is important for the public to know the
addition of egg freezing as an option
that provides opportunity for women to
conceive.
With the ever-evolving technology
used in the procedure, egg freezing has
become less invasive and may turn out
to be an important investment for a lot of
women looking to bare children.
done in the lab prior to the freezing.”
“As technology involved in egg freezing has
evolved over the years, chances of eggs sur-
viving have increased from 60 percent to over
95 percent. Even if the harvested eggs turn out
to be immature, these can be cultured in the
lab until maturity.”
PREPARATION PRIOR TO
PROCEDURE
Women who choose to go through the egg
freezing programme has to undergo several
preparation.
“Those socially freezing their eggs can take
vitamins such as folic acid, vitamin D and E,
followed by an increased protein intake such
as eggs, fish and chicken. This recommenda-
tion is done two months prior to the process
in order to build up the health.”
Doctors also generally forbid smoking.
Moderate consumption of alcohol is fine and
the recommended intake would be a glass of
red wine per day at most.
Sunfert International’s fertility specialist, Dr Wong
Pak Seng, explained that there are two categories of
patients who resort to egg freezing
Better Tech,
Better
Preservation
15
Egg Freezing
A Viable Option