UAE: Despite Dh15,000 cost, egg freezing helps women achieve life goals before motherhood

Clinics and medical facilities in the UAE are seeing an increasing number of women opting for egg freezing. With many choosing to start families late, this option has allowed them to be more flexible about their life plans without fear of being unable to conceive.

Jules McDonald, Director of Clinical Operations for HealthPlus Fertility has helped over 20,000 women with the procedure during her 15 years of service in the industry. She said it was a great “backup plan” for many women and that it was up to doctors to have this conversation.

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“We're seeing a huge uptick in the number of local population who are asking about egg freezing and enquiring about the details,” she said. “It is not something that is spoken about enough in society. So part of the drive within our facility is that when women see their doctors for whatever concerns they have, the medical professionals should bring egg freezing up, ask them if they have thought about it, and plant the seed in their minds.

"During my career, I have met so many women who have said they wish they had frozen their eggs earlier. Once women hit 35 years, the egg quality dramatically declines.”

Egg freezing is the process of extracting, freezing, and storing a woman's eggs or oocytes so she can get pregnant at a later stage in life. A woman's age has a significant impact on the quality of eggs and her ability to have children. Last month, a local company introduced a mobile van that stopped at various locations around the country to give out free testing kits to those interested in egg freezing. The initiative received an overwhelming response with hundreds of women turning up to take the test.

Popularity and procedure

Many of those who are interested in the procedure are in their 30s, as per one expert. “Working women over 35 years of age, particularly those who belong to higher economic status and are engaged in very competitive or demanding professions, such as professional sportswomen, actors or executives, are more likely to opt for the procedure,” said Dr Nayana Gaba, Specialist Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Aster Clinic, Al Muteena. “This is because they simply chose to prioritise profession over motherhood and childcare at that time. Even unmarried women undergo the procedure.”

She said patients who have to undergo chemotherapy, radiotherapy, or surgery for cancer treatment also opt for this procedure as such treatments can render them infertile.

Dr Aarti Javeri-Mehta, Internal Medicine Specialist and Lifestyle Medicine Physician at Sustain Health explained the best time to freeze eggs. “Research shows that the best time is typically between the ages of 25 and 35 to achieve optimal quality eggs,” she said. “But like with any health decision, it's crucial to weigh the risks and benefits based on your unique medical history and circumstances.

Dr Nayana explained how the procedure was done. “The first step is called ovarian stimulation in which hormone injections or, less commonly, tablets are administered for around a week to ten days,” she said. “This leads to the development of mature eggs. The next stage is egg retrieval. The eggs are frozen in special facilities for future use for in-vitro fertilisation.”

No pressure of the ‘biological clock’

According to Dr Aarti, part of the increased interest can be attributed to the change in UAE’s legal system.

“One major factor is the change in the UAE’s IVF laws that came into effect in 2020,” she said. “Now, fertility clinics can freeze human embryos, unfertilized eggs, and sperm, giving women more flexibility to preserve their fertility without feeling the pressure of the ticking ‘biological clock’. There’s also been a shift in how women think about fertility and family planning. With more awareness and education around fertility, women who want to focus on their careers or personal goals before starting a family are more open to egg freezing. The stigma around having children later in life is also fading."

Legal reforms in the UAE in 2021 permitted freezing of human embryos and eggs for up to five years - extendable with the consent of relevant parties.

She also noted that an increasing number of employers were supporting women in their decisions. “More companies are offering benefits for fertility preservation, making women feel even more empowered in their decision to freeze their eggs,” she said.

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