Hi

I was diagnosed and treated surgically for stage 4 endometriosis 4/5 years ago. At the time, and several times since, when meeting with my surgeon/ specialist they have encouraged me to try for kids asap. They have also said that they would refer me to IVF straight away, as the endo might make naturally conceiving difficult - not sure why, my tubes I think are damaged but clear, the endo is in my womb and I do get cysts, and then there is the increased chance of ectopic.

I am single, don't want to be, but can't find Mr right (or anything close). When I turned 35 I started to panic as doing the maths, meeting someone and finally getting NHS IVF would take min 3 years and that would be with a lot of luck.

So decided to look into egg freezing, privately (NHS will not support). To ensure my best chance and choice for having kids. I have taken the steps so far of having AMH test - devastated to hear it was 2.38 pmol/L, but slightly heartened that it does not take into account quality.

To treat the endo now I take the pill continuously and have a coil. Without which I get really bad pains. I think I am correct in thinking these treatments would not have affected the AMH test.

Egg freezing negatives: Low AMH so quantity of harvest will probs be low, freezing egg only is supposed to be less successful than adding a sperm of two, thawing process can result in eggs not surviving.

Pros: I hopefully get some eggs that are of better quality than 3-5 years time. Is that a realistic hope given my circumstances?

I am off to see the private FS in two weeks. I know I should wait to hear what they say but I wondered if anyone could give me hints/ tips/ advice... let me know if you think I am doing the right thing? Has anyone been in a similar situation?

To treat the endo now I take the pill continuously and have a coil. Without which I get really bad pains.

Thanks for reading and good luck to all of you trying

Hi Josie,

for what it's worth i would do exactly as you plan if i were in your situation. It sounds like you're well informed and that's great - take comfort in that you are doing the very best you can to protect your future family plans. No regrets from trying is there

Hi Josie,

I am actually a PhD Researcher and my PhD is on egg freezing, not the science behind it as such but womens use of the technology ect. Ive pretty much spent the last year of my life learning all about it so can tell you a little of what I know.

Depending where you are in the UK you might want to look at Midland Fertility Services near Birmingham. In the UK there have only been about 6 or 7 babies born from previously cryopreserved eggs all of these have come from MFS. The proficiency of egg vitrification really varies wildly between clinics and even clinicans. The vitrification of eggs has markedly improved the whole process. In the past only half of the eggs thawed would survive, which is a dramatic number of precious eggs to loose, however development in freezing and thawing protocols means that more eggs are surviving (as much as 90%).

I was only reading something today about a lady who had frozen her eggs after she had suffered from severe endo. Ive just tried posting a link to the website on this response but it wont let me as I am a new user -google 'jess brown my baby dreams are in ice' and its the top link-you may find it interesting

The knowledge I have about egg freezing (and i should say here im a social researcher not a medic of any kind) makes me think you would be an appropriate candidate for egg freezing. Generally the earlier you freeze your eggs the better...im sure you know all about the massive decline in number and quality of a womens eggs after she turns 35 which is even more marked after she turns 37.

Egg freezing has had some bad press (low success rates regarding live birth rates) however the eggs are only as good once they are defrosted as they were when they were frozen, the problem with this is that the majority of women who are freezing their eggs are doing so at an age when their egg quality has already gone in to decline so the statistics reflect this. So really the sooner you freeze the better I would say. It can be a pretty grizzly process regarding the stimulation (the self injection of drugs and side effects ect) however this process is the exact same process which is undertaken for IVF which you have indicated you would possible have to undergo anyway- least this way you can freeze your eggs in the hope that you meet someone you want to have a child with- equally you could also freeze an embryo using donor sperm as embryos are generally hardier and survive freezing better than lone eggs.

I hope this helps you

Other clinics which I know have experience freezing eggs is also Care fertility Nottingham.

Best of luck

K