Is it better to freeze eggs, or freeze embryos? (Ask the Egg Whisperer with physician Dr. Aimee)

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Today on the Egg Whisperer Show, the first question I answer is from Rebekah. She shared her background, and asked if it’s better to freeze eggs or freeze embryos. Here’s her question:
“Hi Dr. Aimee - thanks so much for your show. It has been super helpful in educating me about my health & how to think about this process. I am 35 years old and would like to have two kids, I just learned that my AMH is abysmal for my age (0.6) and my FSH is slightly high (11.6) (my own words, don’t worry, my doctor is more gracious!). Do you think I should consider having eggs or embryos frozen before trying IUI or IVF/transfer? Just wondering how I should be thinking about this - since I cannot know the rate at which my supply is diminishing, I’m wondering if it’s smart to start thinking about #2 right now. Also, how do you decide between freezing eggs or embryos? Is one option ‘heartier’ than the other? Thank you!”
Of course my response is meant for education (and shouldn’t replace the info you get from your own doctor) - here are my thoughts on her situation:
If you were a patient of mine, I would want to give you at least a 50% chance of having at least two children with the fertility preservation work that we're going to do right now. I would talk to you about whether you want to have a baby as a single mom by choice in the next 5 years.
If in the next three to five years, you think that you want to be a single mom by choice, then I would say consider making embryos. Our eggs don't wait for the right partner. They have a different timeline. And that partner may not come while you still have good eggs. It’s up to you to choose the love of a child over the love of a partner that you wait for.
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Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is one of America’s most well known fertility doctors. Her success rate at baby-making is what gives future parents hope when all hope is lost. She pioneered the TUSHY Method and BALLS Method to decrease your time to pregnancy. Learn more about the TUSHY Method and find a wealth of fertility resources at www.draimee.org.
2/5/21

[@crisescalera4588]

Hi dr Aimee! Which one do you recommend; fresh or frozen transfer after finishing IVF cycle? This will be my second treatment, first one we got 14 eggs, 8 fertilized but none made it to blasto.

[@EggWhisperer]

I am so sorry :( this is so incredibly hard. I would talk to your doc about why they think no blasts: egg quality? Sperm quality? Both? Have you done chromosome analysis? Ask all these questions

[@crisescalera4588]

@@EggWhisperer they said bc they fertilized it’s not an egg problem but a sperm/male problem ? Chromosomes for him were normal. Will start a 2nd round next month and they suggested a different med protocol and a fresh transfer on day 5. All our other exams are normal.

[@shannonb2817]

Hmm, this has me thinking. I have a "2nd opinion dr appt" regarding a very small fibroid pushing on my uterine cavity. It's in the wall of the uterus and my former dr said that I would need an open myomectomy. I thought that sounded a bit major. It's 3cm. I either want to do natural IVF without all the stims or adopt an embryo cause I'm 44. :)

[@EggWhisperer]

If it's pushing into the cavity then thinking through options of how to remove it is important and will be helpful. I'm glad you're doing this.

[@shannonb2817]

@@EggWhisperer Looks like I can't do IUI with the fibroid. But they can do an embryo transfer. He said he can find a way to go around it. I thought that was interesting. I thought IUI/transfer catheters were the same.

[@EggWhisperer]

@@shannonb2817 you’re right to question that logic. I would ask about removing the fibroid and risks of not removing it

[@nyebetancourt4466]

I wanted to edit my comment but it's not there. I forgot to mention that I was told I have a tilted uterus and I have a very small fibroid. Also my left overy is very high where if I lye down I feel it wth my hand and it can't be seen with vaginal ultrasound.

[@EggWhisperer]

then do this, go to the doctor, show them where you feel it and then they can do an ultrasound from the abdomen to see your ovary

[@nyebetancourt4466]

@@EggWhisperer they have seen it. They say it's fine. This comment was a part of a longer one but it's not showing for whatever reason. Thanks for your response