Freezing Fertility

Welcomed as liberation and dismissed as exploitation, egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) has rapidly become one of the most widely-discussed and influential new reproductive technologies of this century. In Freezing Fertility, Lucy van de Wiel takes us inside the world of fertility preservation—with its egg freezing parties, contested age limits, proactive anticipations and equity investments—and shows how the popularization of egg freezing has profound consequences for the way in which female fertility and reproductive aging are understood, commercialized and politicized. Beyond an individual reproductive choice for people who may want to have children later in life, Freezing Fertility explores how the rise of egg freezing also reveals broader cultural, political and economic negotiations about reproductive politics, gender inequities, age normativities and the financialization of healthcare. Van de Wiel investigates these issues by analyzing a wide range of sources—varying from sparkly online platforms to heart-breaking court cases and intimate autobiographical accounts—that are emblematic of each stage of the egg freezing procedure. By following the egg’s journey, Freezing Fertility examines how contemporary egg freezing practices both reflect broader social, regulatory and economic power asymmetries and repoliticize fertility and aging in ways that affect the public at large. In doing so, the book explores how the possibility of egg freezing shifts our relation to the beginning and end of life.

Analyzes how the possibility of egg freezing changes what it means to be fertile and to age in the 21st century Welcomed as liberation and dismissed as exploitation, egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) has rapidly become one of the most widely-discussed and influential new reproductive technologies of this century. In Freezing Fertility, Lucy van de Wiel takes us inside the world of fertility preservation—with its egg freezing parties, contested age limits, proactive anticipations and equity investments—and shows how the popularization of egg freezing has profound consequences for the way in which female fertility and reproductive aging are understood, commercialized and politicized. Beyond an individual reproductive choice for people who may want to have children later in life, Freezing Fertility explores how the rise of egg freezing also reveals broader cultural, political and economic negotiations about reproductive politics, gender inequities, age normativities and the financialization of healthcare. Van de Wiel investigates these issues by analyzing a wide range of sources—varying from sparkly online platforms to heart-breaking court cases and intimate autobiographical accounts—that are emblematic of each stage of the egg freezing procedure. By following the egg’s journey, Freezing Fertility examines how contemporary egg freezing practices both reflect broader social, regulatory and economic power asymmetries and repoliticize fertility and aging in ways that affect the public at large. In doing so, the book explores how the possibility of egg freezing shifts our relation to the beginning and end of life.

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access, thanks to Knowledge Unlatched funding, and freely available to read online. This book explores the experiences of some of the pioneering users of social egg freezing technology in the UK and the USA.

Everything you need to know about egg freezing . . . because your most productive years coincide with your most reproductive years. “I have plenty of time to think about having kids . . .” “I’ve always liked the idea of having kids, but I never met the right partner . . . ” “Can’t I freeze my eggs later . . . ?” Sound familiar? Eggs Unscrambled is the girlfriend’s guide to everything you need to know about your reproductive options, especially the groundbreaking technology that has revolutionized the modern woman’s life: oocyte cryopreservation. With the help of NYU Langone Fertility Center’s Dr. Nicole Noyes and Dr. Sarah Druckenmiller, Fischer debunks common misconceptions about fertility, offers no-nonsense details of the egg freezing process, and lays out a real plan to help you make important life-changing decisions in an informed way. THE TRUTH: —The number of eggs in a woman’s ovaries peaks while she is still in the womb, and it is all downhill from there! —Women only spend about twelve minutes every year talking to their gynecologists. —Men have a biological clock, too. THE LIES: —Getting pregnant is easy. —Prince Charming will come, one day. —You have all the time in the world—even into your forties—to get pregnant. THE ESSENTIAL QUESTIONS: —At what age should you start considering egg freezing? —Are you willing to be a single mom? —Can you afford the expensive procedure?

The Fertility Experts' Guide to Egg Freezing is your go-to resource for learning about the process of egg freezing from start to finish. It's a quick field guide to everything you need to know about the process, boiled down by an expert doctor and nurse team. Together, the duo lay out-step-by-step-exactly how egg freezing works, what to plan for and expect from the fertility treatments, and invaluable tips and tricks for anyone going through an egg freezing cycle-or even just considering if egg freezing is the right step to take for their family-building goals. At a critical time when women are taking more control over their careers and their futures, this book empowers women to learn about their fertility and all the options they have available to them. You already plan for your financial future-now it's time to plan for your future fertility and the family you'd like to have. This book is a must-have resource that will help you decide if egg freezing is right for you.

The ebook edition of this title is Open Access, thanks to Knowledge Unlatched funding, and freely available to read online. This book explores the experiences of some of the pioneering users of social egg freezing technology in the UK and the USA.

Protecting the reproductive potential of young patients undergoing cancer therapy is increasingly important. With modern treatment protocols, 80% of patients can be expected to survive. It has been estimated that up to one in 250 young adults will be a survivor of childhood cancer in the future; infertility, however, may be a consequence. As a wide range of fertility preservation methods are increasingly offered by clinicians, this systematic and comprehensive textbook dealing with the cryobiology, technology and clinical approach to this therapy will be essential reading to infertility specialists, embryologists, oncologists, cryobiologists, ObGyns, andrologists, and urologists with an interest in fertility preservation. Fertility Cryopreservation reviews all the techniques of this increasingly important field within reproductive medicine. It covers the basic principles of pertinent cryobiology, and contains major sections on the different therapies available, written by international specialists combining experience from both academic centers and commercial industries.