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Family doctors important in advising young women on egg freezing for future fertility

Date:
April 13, 2015
Source:
Canadian Medical Association Journal
Summary:
Family physicians have an important role in advising women about the benefits and risks of egg freezing, argues a new article.
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Family physicians have an important role in advising women about the benefits and risks of egg freezing, argues an analysis in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal).

"With growing public awareness of social egg freezing, Canadian women may increasingly approach physicians in search of information and advice about the procedure," writes Dr. Angel Petropanagos, Faculty of Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, with coauthors Alana Cattapan, Françoise Baylis and Arthur Leader. "Family physicians are uniquely positioned at the front lines of medical care to provide information to women who ask about egg freezing."

In October 2014, the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society endorsed egg freezing as an option for women wanting to preserve their future fertility, in contrast with the United States, where both the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology cautioned against the practice.

Although egg freezing can help some women preserve their fertility as they age, evidence is limited on the success rates for pregnancy and live birth using thawed eggs.

Egg freezing is expensive, with costs estimated between $5000 and $10,000 and yearly storage fees of $300 to $500. Provincial health care plans do not cover social egg freezing costs.

"In light of the controversial nature of social egg freezing, with competing perspectives and information available from a variety of sources, family physicians have a unique opportunity to assist women in accessing accurate and balanced information about their reproductive health. This information should be provided to all women who ask about social egg freezing, regardless of sexual orientation, age, disability, health, relationship or socioeconomic status," the authors conclude.


Story Source:

Materials provided by Canadian Medical Association Journal. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.


Journal Reference:

  1. Angel Petropanagos, Alana Cattapan, Françoise Baylis, and Arthur Leader. Social egg freezing: risk, benefits and other considerations. CMAJ, April 2015 DOI: 10.1503/cmaj.141605

Cite This Page:

Canadian Medical Association Journal. "Family doctors important in advising young women on egg freezing for future fertility." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 13 April 2015. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150413130609.htm>.
Canadian Medical Association Journal. (2015, April 13). Family doctors important in advising young women on egg freezing for future fertility. ScienceDaily. Retrieved March 28, 2024 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150413130609.htm
Canadian Medical Association Journal. "Family doctors important in advising young women on egg freezing for future fertility." ScienceDaily. www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/04/150413130609.htm (accessed March 28, 2024).

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