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Today, for a variety of reasons, women are waiting longer than ever to attempt to achieve a pregnancy. At the same time, age is a leading determinant of fertility. Fertility in women is greatest when they are between 20 and 28 years of age. By the age of 35, a woman’s chance of conceiving per month is decreased by half. By age 45, the natural fertility rate per month is reduced to only 1%.
More than a decade ago, RBA noted a substantial increase in incidents of age-related infertility. This led our scientific team to begin research in the use of egg freezing as a means of fertility preservation. RBA’s initial egg freezing breakthrough came in 1997, when the practice reported the first births in the Western Hemisphere from frozen donor eggs. In 2000, after further refinement of the technique, RBA began to offer egg freezing as a means of preserving fertility in cancer patients facing fertility-threatening oncology treatment. In 2007, the RBA scientific team completed it’s most important egg freezing study to date. Utilizing a new rapid freezing technique with egg donors between the ages of 21-30, we achieved pregnancy rates in egg recipients in excess of 70%. To date, 108 babies have been born.
 Due to the success of our study, RBA is now able to offer fertility preservation services through egg freezing to women 38 years of age and under. RBA prides itself in being compliant with ASRM guidelines in that we have internal clinic data that justifies offering egg freezing to women up to age 38 who are interested in this service. Though egg freezing is still considered an experimental technology, data has become available to justify it's use; it is likely that women can continue to expect age-related outcomes from fertility preservation. For example, if a 37 year old freezes her eggs, she can expect a pregnancy rate typical for 37 year olds (35%) when she thaws, inseminates and transfers the resulting embryos.
The process begins with a consultation with one of our physicians, followed by prescreening lab work (hormonal lab testing, preconceptual screening, ovarian and uterine evaluation, etc.). The patient will then meet with a nurse, who will outline the stimulation process and provide medication injection instruction. When the targeted cycle starts, egg production will be stimulated with the fertility medications. Frequent lab work and ultrasounds are done to monitor egg growth. When appropriate, a final injection will be given to mature the eggs and ready them for retrieval. Thirty-six hours after the injection the eggs will be retrieved vaginally under intravenous sedation. After the eggs are retrieved, the IVF laboratory will freeze and store them for the patient’s future use. The entire process from screening to freezing will last approximately two months.
 The price for this procedure is $7400, which does not include required prescreening or stimulation medication. Some of the cost of this procedure may be covered by your insurance. Please contact our business office for more information about insurance coverage and financing options.
For more information or to schedule a consultation with one of our physicians, please call Mary at 404-459-3515, or email your questions to rba-online@rba-online.com.
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