In recent years, oocyte freezing—also known as oocyte cryopreservation—has become one of the most effective tools in reproductive medicine for preserving female fertility. It offers a concrete opportunity for many women who wish to plan their motherhood consciously, avoiding the need for complex and costly treatments once infertility has already appeared. We discussed this with Dr. Raffaele Ferraro, gynecologist at Genesis Day Surgery & Scientific Research Scarl, a leading center in medically assisted reproduction (MAR).
Dr. Ferraro, what exactly is social freezing?
It is a procedure that allows women to preserve their eggs by freezing them at extremely low temperatures. The oocytes are retrieved after a short hormonal stimulation and then vitrified—that is, frozen ultra-rapidly—so they can be preserved perfectly over time.
When a woman decides to have a child, they can later be used for assisted fertilization with the same chances of success as “fresh” eggs. Oocyte freezing therefore offers women the possibility of safeguarding their future motherhood in the present: those who cannot consider pregnancy today, for personal or life reasons, may face it tomorrow with awareness and peace of mind, when the time is right.
Who is it recommended for?
Originally, it was reserved for women who had to undergo medical treatments or procedures that could damage fertility. Today, however, it is increasingly a conscious preventive choice. It means anticipating a problem that, in many cases, appears only later: the age-related decline of ovarian reserve.
A woman is born with about two million oocytes, but this number does not remain constant over time. By the beginning of puberty, the ovarian reserve drops to about 400,000 eggs, and around the age of thirty it decreases to approximately 27,000. By menopause, the ovaries contain on average just over a thousand eggs, often no longer capable of leading to a natural pregnancy. The message must therefore be clear: preserving earlier is far more effective than treating later.
So it is important to think about it early. What is the ideal age?
Biological age is the key factor. Ideally, it should be done before the age of 32, when the eggs are still of excellent quality and offer higher pregnancy success rates. After the age of 38–40, the ovarian reserve declines rapidly and the chance of conceiving—even with the help of assisted reproduction—decreases significantly. (An AMH value lower than 0.5 ng/mL indicates a very low ovarian reserve, a sign that fertility is declining considerably.)
Freezing eggs at a younger age therefore means banking your fertility before biological time reduces it.
Many women believe assisted reproduction is enough. Why isn’t that the case?
Because assisted reproduction can help, but it cannot stop time. If egg quality has already deteriorated, no technique can restore it. Freezing “young” eggs is a form of preventive medicine: it means choosing not to have to find solutions later, when fertility is already reduced. It is an act of responsibility toward oneself, one’s body, and one’s future.
How does the procedure work?
It is a quick and safe process. After preliminary tests (AMH measurement and antral follicle count via transvaginal ultrasound), the woman undergoes about ten days of hormonal stimulation aimed at inducing the ovaries to produce an adequate number of follicles. Subsequently, under ultrasound guidance, the doctor performs a minor outpatient procedure to retrieve the eggs.
The mature eggs are then vitrified in liquid nitrogen at −196°C and can be safely stored for many years. When the woman decides to have a child, they can be used as if time had never passed.
Are there risks or side effects?
They are minimal, thanks to personalized protocols and constant monitoring. The most delicate aspect is often the emotional one, which is why it is important to be well informed and supported by an experienced medical team.
The technology is now very advanced, and success rates—when the eggs are retrieved at a good age—are highly encouraging.
Can we say it is also a choice of freedom?
Absolutely. It is a conscious freedom. Freezing your eggs means deciding independently when the right time to become a mother is, without pressure, without anxiety, and without having to face more complex paths at an older age. It is not a guarantee of pregnancy, but it is one more real possibility, built with intelligence and foresight.
What final message would you like to give to women?
Don’t wait. Fertility is not infinite, and information is the first form of protection.
Today medicine offers the possibility of preserving in advance what might become more fragile tomorrow. That is why I say to young women: do not postpone caring for your fertility—think about it now. Freezing your eggs today may mean that tomorrow you can truly choose—calmly and consciously—whether to become a mother. Preserving your fertility today means giving tomorrow the freedom to choose, without haste and without regrets.
