Striking a Balance Between Career and Fertility: How Can Donor Eggs Help?
Today, women are being offered more opportunities than ever before for professional growth and career promotions. However, in order to take advantage of these opportunities, many are putting off starting a family.While it’s inspiring to take the time to build your dream career, our biological clocks aren’t so understanding.The longer you wait to have children, the more difficult it can be to conceive, leading you to search for alternative fertility options on websites like www.cryosinternational.comIf postponing the decision to conceive has negatively impacted your ability to get pregnant, frozen donor eggs are an ideal solution to consider.
How Does Age Affect Fertility?
Did you know that in the 1970s, the average age of a first-time parent was approximately 24? Flash forward to the present day, and many people aren’t having their first babies until they’re almost 30.While no one should have to choose between their career and starting a family, it’s crucial to understand the effects time can have on our reproductive systems.Unfortunately, our most fertile years are during our late teens to mid-twenties. By the time many of us are mentally, emotionally, and financially prepared to have a baby, our ability to get pregnant is already on a swift decline.By your mid-thirties and onward, it’s not only more challenging to get pregnant, but it’s also riskier. Due to declining egg numbers and quality, you’re more likely to experience fertility issues such as:
- Increased risk of miscarriage or stillbirth
- Higher chance of developing gestational diabetes or high blood pressure
- Greater risk of chromosomal abnormalities, such as Down Syndrome
- Higher risk of premature birth and needing a C-section
- Increased likelihood of birth defects or low birth weight
How Can Donor Eggs Help?
One of the most significant infertility factors among mature women is poor egg quality and a lower number of eggs. Without viable eggs, getting pregnant and sustaining that pregnancy can be incredibly difficult.This is where frozen donor eggs can help.When you still want to experience pregnancy but can’t use your own eggs, egg donation is an innovative treatment option.It allows hopeful parents to still carry their child—an opportunity that diminished ovarian reserves and poor egg quality can often take away.While some people might feel concerned about how children born from donor eggs aren’t genetically connected to them, DNA can only take you so far. There’s something greater to be said of the bond that comes from carrying your child within your belly and seeing their little face as you deliver them into the world.
What’s Involved with the Egg Donation Process?
The first step in the frozen donor egg process is to choose your donor. Reputable storage facilities will have carefully selected donors who have already undergone a comprehensive screening process, including drug tests, psychological evaluations, health screenings, and more.Once you’ve selected your donor, your chosen egg lot will be shipped to your fertility clinic to await thawing and fertilization.You’ll then undergo a series of health screenings, such as blood work and ultrasounds. Using information gathered during these tests, your doctor will prescribe a regimen of medications to prepare your uterus and endometrial lining for your upcoming embryo transfer.Your body’s response to these medications will be monitored using bloodwork and transvaginal ultrasounds. After your medical team determines you’re ready, your egg lot will be thawed, fertilized, and 1-2 embryos will be placed directly into your uterus using a thin catheter and ultrasound technology.Two weeks after your embryo transfer has taken place, you’ll be given a blood pregnancy test to see if the cycle was successful.
Don’t Get Weighed Down by a Battle Between Babies and Your Career
No matter how you go about starting a family, don’t let it hinder the passion you feel for your career. There’s no rulebook stating you have to put your life on hold to have a baby at any point in time.Just keep in mind that there are options available to you. Yes, getting pregnant can prove more difficult as we age, but that’s no reason to rush the process if you’re not ready.Fingers crossed; your fertility and pregnancy journey will go smoothly no matter when you decide to have a baby. However, if there are any bumps along the road, donor eggs might be your solution.