Contained in the lab at Olive Fertility Centre in Vancouver, a whole lot of unfertilized human eggs are nesting in spherical tanks filled with chilly liquid nitrogen.
For some, the frozen eggs may fulfil goals of parenthood in years to come back.
“Truthfully, I’m so grateful for science,” stated Natalie Grunberg-Ferreira, 47, who conceived two sons from the eggs she froze on the fertility clinic.
Grunberg-Ferreira shouldn’t be alone. Statistics present egg freezing remedies have soared throughout Canada within the final decade.
The process — the place an individual’s eggs are extracted from their ovaries, frozen and saved — permits an individual to press pause on parenthood, for many years if they want, till they really feel they’re able to conceive.
“They’re utilizing this as a software to purchase them alternative … and somewhat bit extra management,” stated Dr. Niamh Tallon, infertility and egg freezing specialist at Olive, which accepts sufferers as much as age 50 as candidates for remedy.
Throughout Canada, individuals sought 94 egg-freezing remedies in 2013. By 2022, that grew to greater than 1,524 remedies, in line with the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society. The figures embody new sufferers and other people returning to do remedies, additionally known as cycles.
Whereas research on the enhance in egg-freezing remedies are restricted, consultants cite plenty of potential causes, together with some individuals being unable to discover a appropriate companion, or some ready till they’re extra financially safe earlier than having a baby.
One researcher says she observed a spike in egg freezing remedies in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samantha Yee, a psychosocial researcher on the CReATe Fertility Centre in Toronto, suggests pressured isolation might have prompted individuals to do extra soul looking out about their futures and take into account egg freezing.
“There’s a drastic enhance,” Yee stated.
However egg freezing is dear, averaging about $12,000 to $15,000 a cycle, which might embody drugs, storage charges and prices related to the eventual defrosting, fertilizing and transferring of the embryos again into the physique.
The excessive price ticket is why many advocates say they’d prefer to see employers and even governments present extra monetary assist for remedies.
‘A good suggestion and actually empowering’
Taking a look at a child album in her Victoria lounge, Grunberg-Ferreira smiles at black and white scans of her embryos.
“Two excellent embryos that turned two great youngsters,” she stated. The 2 remedies value round $40,000 in complete.
Grunberg-Ferreira froze her eggs at age 37 as a result of she couldn’t discover a companion with whom to share parenthood. Three years later, her birthday want was to thaw them and develop into a single mom.
“I actually thought that was a good suggestion and actually empowering,” stated Grunberg-Ferreira.
In a accident, Grunberg-Ferreira met the person who would develop into her husband after her first son was born. Now, they’re a household of 4.
Portraits of her sons, age 5 and two, embellish a mantle of their residence.
One analysis paper has proven that out of 224 ladies, a majority — 89 per cent — froze their eggs as a result of they had been single and had not discovered a companion, says Yee, who authored the research.
Extra individuals are counting on freezing their eggs to allow them to have youngsters later in life. However at what value? CBC’s Baneet Braich appears into how egg-freezing works, its challenges, and the rising assist supplied to individuals hoping to have a household sooner or later.
‘A security internet’
Kelsey Edgeworth, a Vancouver nurse, says she froze her eggs as a result of she’s unsure she needs youngsters.
Whereas working at Olive Clinic, Edgeworth, 32, came upon she has a decrease egg reserve for her age, which might make conceiving more durable down the street. She determined to freeze her eggs in case she alters her thoughts about parenthood.
“It’s nonetheless a security internet I respect,” stated Edgeworth.
Egg freezing doesn’t assure a child, however probabilities of conceiving are greater if an individual freezes their eggs when they’re youthful, stated Dr. Tallon.
For instance, if a affected person freezes their eggs at 38, and if they’ve 10 eggs — the quantity may range, with some having extra eggs, or fewer at that age — the probabilities of them giving delivery is 40 per cent, in comparison with 60 per cent for somebody with the identical variety of eggs of their early 30s, Dr. Tallon stated.
Edgeworth says her remedy prices had been partly lined by Olive as a taxable profit as a result of she works there.
She says she didn’t get medical protection from the province as a result of B.C. — in addition to Alberta, PEI, Saskatchewan, Yukon, Nunavut, and the Northwest Territories — doesn’t publicly fund elective egg freezing.
For individuals experiencing infertility, Ontario covers one cycle of egg freezing, whereas Quebec covers egg freezing and storage. Newfoundland and Labrador presents a subsidy of as much as $15,000 for egg freezing as a part of its IVF (in vitro fertilization) Subsidy Program for a most of three remedies. Nova Scotia and Manitoba additionally supply a tax credit score of as much as 40 per cent of remedy prices, together with IVF.
Governments must do extra, advocate says
Folks can also be freezing their eggs as a result of extra employers are providing fertility advantages, says Tara Wooden with Conceivable Goals, which advocates for extra accessible fertility remedy.
For instance, the College of British Columbia just lately began providing protection as much as $40,000 for fertility remedies, together with egg freezing. Scotiabank, CIBC and Telus additionally present some protection for the remedy.
However Wooden says it’s not sufficient, noting that a brand new research discovered that of just about 1,000 Canadian employers, 53 per cent don’t supply fertility advantages.
Because of this, many can’t afford to pay for medication or remedy — or are taking up second jobs at workplaces like Starbucks that provide these advantages, Wooden says.
She says it’s necessary for employers and governments to supply extra assist for household planning, as one in six {couples} face infertility in Canada.
“Day by day, I’ve individuals emailing me asking for assist, like, ‘Do you’ve got any cash? Is there a grant?’” stated Wooden.
“We want assist creating households.”