Understanding Egg Freezing: Insights from Chinese Actress Xu Jinglei
Recently, renowned Chinese actress Xu Jinglei participated in an interview where she discussed her career, personal life, and the topic of egg freezing. Four years ago, Xu made the significant decision to freeze her eggs, a choice that she believes could be one of the few options for mitigating regrets about fertility in the future.
Why Did Xu Jinglei Choose to Freeze Her Eggs?
During the interview, Xu revealed that despite being 43 years old and currently unmarried, she has no immediate plans to have children. She humorously added that her boyfriend's father jokingly suggested "putting a grandchild in the freezer" to see how it feels. For Xu, egg freezing is a method of ensuring she retains her fertility choices as she ages. She refers to it as the "only regret medicine in the world."
In 2019, when Xu was 39, she openly shared that she had frozen nine eggs in the United States. This choice was not motivated by the intention to become a mother soon but rather to secure her reproductive options and maintain control over her future.
What Is Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, involves the retrieval and freezing of a woman’s eggs while she is still healthy, preventing the natural aging process of the eggs. This method provides women the chance to use these eggs later when they decide they are ready to conceive. This practice has become increasingly common among older, unmarried women. Not only Xu Jinglei, but also pop sensation Hebe Tien has expressed plans to freeze her eggs before turning 35.
Risks Associated with Egg Freezing
However, potential risks accompany the egg freezing process, particularly in countries like China where regulations limit single women from utilizing this service. Many celebrities opt to freeze their eggs abroad, often in the United States. Here are some notable risks:
1. Uncertain Egg Quality
One significant issue in egg freezing technology is the uncertainty surrounding egg quality post-thaw. Current studies indicate that around 3% to 10% of frozen eggs do not survive the thawing process. As eggs are highly sensitive to temperature changes, freezing could damage their structure and chromosomes. The long-term effects of such damage on the health of any future children remain largely unevaluated.
2. Lack of Long-term Observations on Frozen Egg Babies
To date, there are over a hundred babies born from frozen eggs, but most are under ten years old. The long-term health outcomes for these children are still unknown, raising concerns regarding potential impacts from the egg freezing process.
3. Risks During Egg Retrieval
Typically, women can produce only one to two eggs monthly, which is insufficient for freezing. Therefore, hormonal stimulation is necessary to increase egg production, followed by a medical procedure to retrieve the eggs. Although minimally invasive, this procedure carries risks of infection, bleeding, and possible damage to ovarian function, which could jeopardize a woman's health.
The Bottom Line
Egg freezing presents an option for women to take control of their reproductive futures, as highlighted by Xu Jinglei's experience. However, it comes with its own set of risks and uncertainties that must be carefully considered. As technology advances and more women explore this option, ongoing research is essential to address these concerns and improve outcomes for future families.