Align-ju FEATURE
My hospital gown was not made from paper , as I ' d expected , but a much more comfortable blue fabric ( Figure 1 ). I still had to grapple with awkward ties at the back , but I avoided having my bum on display , as you see in the movies , which was a relief when I had to dash through the ward to the toilet for a panic wee before receiving the sedative .
As a veterinary nurse ( VN ), it was strange being on the receiving end of consent forms and enquiries about allergies , the last time I ate and the procedure I was scheduled to have . It prompted a heady mix of emotions : trust in the professionals , but lack of control . I appreciated the calm environment that the medical and nursing team created in the room . While my intravenous catheter was being inserted and propofol administered , they reassured me : ” you ' re doing great , everything ' s fine , we ' re going to collect the eggs now ...”
Figure 1 . Jade , ready for action . veterinary surgeons and VNs , and their knowledge was also limited , so I ' ve written this article to share my experience and to provide an overview of my research into the topic and the work-related considerations .
The article is aimed at those considering fertility treatment or who are about to go through the procedure , as well as their colleagues and employers . Understanding what egg freezing entails can not only help to inform people ' s decisions around their fertility , but also help employers to put in place appropriate work-related support during fertility treatment .
Feelings about , and experience of , this very personal subject will vary from person to person , and this article represents just one perspective . However , I believe it is important to share my insights , as the more we discuss our individual experiences , the more we can learn from each other .
I was 35 years old and about to have some of my eggs removed and frozen . Egg freezing is the process of taking eggs from the body and freezing them so they can be used later [ 1 ] . I like to think of it as me checking my eggs into an ice hotel . When I ' m ready , I can check them out of the ice hotel and they can be returned to my body as part of fertility treatment , with the aim of becoming pregnant .
“ I like to think of it as me checking my eggs into an ice hotel ”
I had opted for the procedure because I was at the age when female fertility can start to decline and I wasn ' t yet in a position to start a family . I also have endometriosis , a condition that can affect fertility , in which the cells supposed to line the womb are found elsewhere in the body . Despite having several compelling reasons to freeze my eggs , I still found the experience harrowing , isolating and scary , but it was also humbling and , at times , hilarious .
I ' m a naturally curious person but I found it difficult to navigate the minefield of information on egg freezing when I researched the procedure . It became apparent that others also found it hard to understand and know how to support people in my position , particularly in the workplace , where the emotional and physical effects of fertility treatment can have an impact on attendance and ability to deal with one ' s workload .
In a study of 13 doctors and 138 nurses , over half ( 57.6 %) stated that lack of information would be an obstacle to accepting the egg-freezing procedure [ 2 ] . During my research , I talked to friends , who include
Reasons for cryopreservation
People may consider cryopreservation , that is , freezing their sperm , eggs and / or embryos ( where an egg is taken and then fertilised with sperm prior to freezing ), for a variety of reasons :
• Medical condition or treatment – they have a medical condition or are undergoing treatment for a condition , such as cancer , which could affect their fertility . More people are surviving cancer , so this may increase the number of people wanting to have their eggs frozen [ 3 ] . Patients with conditions that affect their fertility are more likely to be eligible for fertility treatment under the NHS [ 4 ] .
• Risk of injury or death – they work in an environment or in an occupation that puts them at high risk of harm or death , such as armed forces personnel deployed to a war zone .
• Gender affirmation treatment – they wish to undergo hormonal or surgical gender affirmation treatment that could affect their fertility .
• Fertility problems – they have a medical condition that directly affects their fertility and / or makes it more difficult for them to conceive , such as endometriosis in my case .
• Age-related decline in fertility – they do not feel in a position to start a family but worry that their fertility is declining . This is known as elective or social freezing . Once removed and frozen , eggs , for example , can remain stable , frozen in time , while the person they were taken from continues to age .
Volume 39 ( 1 ) • February 2024
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