Anna’s Egg Freezing Experience at Hannam Fertility Centre
As a woman in her mid-thirties, Anna had been feeling the pressure to settle down and start a family. She came to HFC to learn about egg freezing, and, after a successful retrieval, left feeling empowered.
Last year, Anna moved to Toronto from New York City by herself, and she decided it was time to start exploring what this new chapter of her life could look like. “I’m approaching my mid-thirties and navigating life without a stable partner,” she shared. “The resulting anxiety and uncertainty about the future prompted me to consider egg freezing.”
She decided to start by gathering information about the egg freezing process and learning everything she could about fertility preservation. She made an appointment at Hannam Fertility Centre and met with Eileen McMahon, a Nurse Practitioner and Fertility Preservation specialist, who explained what the egg freezing process would be like for Anna.
Anna learned about the benefits of the procedure, along with potential risks and side effects. “Contrary to popular belief, egg freezing isn’t an insurance policy or a guarantee,” Anna explained. Egg freezing won’t guarantee you a baby, but it can give you a better chance at conceiving later on with your own genetic material.
Anna ultimately decided to move forward with the procedure. “As I contemplated all this — including many emotional twists and turns — several factors eventually led me to the decision to go on this journey,” she said. “I like the idea of keeping options and possibilities.”
Although many people freeze their eggs because they’re certain they want to have children in the future, Anna has mixed feelings about parenthood and pregnancy. She’s concerned about overpopulation and her own chronic illnesses, and she has thoroughly explored what adoption or a childfree life could look like for her.
“Freezing my eggs eases the pressure of settling down and having to find a partner in a certain window.”
“To me, finding the right partner is far more important than having biological children,” she explained. “I spent my childhood in China, where the culture tells women that their worth and happiness are solely dependent on their roles as wives and mothers. Freezing my eggs eases the pressure of settling down and having to find a partner in a certain window.”
It took only a few weeks from Anna’s decision to proceed to initiating pre-treatment. “Throughout the process, I received exceptional support from a dedicated team of phlebotomists, sonographers, nurses, and specialists, including nurse practitioner Eileen McMahon, Dr. Arthur (who also performed my procedure), and naturopath Dr. Alan Vu,” she shared.
The whole process lasted a month and a half. The procedure went smoothly, and Anna shared her story with us as she was recovering. “I feel extremely fortunate to live in an era where technology offers many possibilities to women,” she shared. “I have always been amazed by the development of medical technology that offers options once unimaginable.”
“Consulting with medical professionals, doing my research, reflecting on what I want in life, learning about my body, fertility, nutrition, and lifestyle, and eventually making an informed choice: That’s what made me feel empowered.”
When reflecting on the egg freezing process, Anna realized that everything she learned was what really made her feel in control. “While some view egg freezing as empowerment and liberation, for me, what was more valuable was all the knowledge I gathered through this journey,” she added. “Consulting with medical professionals, doing my research, reflecting on what I want in life, learning about my body, fertility, nutrition, and lifestyle, and eventually making an informed choice: That’s what made me feel empowered.”