Editor's Note:

While Savvy Auntie is a community for aunts, most of whom do not (yet) have children of their own, many do want children someday, and have questions. Some are emotional questions requiring support (Do I have the strength to have a baby on my own?) and some are science-based (Can I preserve my eggs as I don't have anyone in my life to father my children?)  This new column, "I Want My Own Kids," is meant for women, straight and gay, with those questions.

Women today are having children later and later in life and many are able to support a family if they choose to . Still, while feminism has given us this opportunity, does biology enable us to take advantage of it? Please use the comments section below to add your questions for Dr. Quintero and for the Savvy Auntie Community. I also encourage to start or join Savvy Auntie Forum posts on the subject.

This is a safe place to talk about your concerns, your joys, your hopes, your dreams... all while getting some expert information and community support. And now back to the article...


Is Preserving Your Fertility Possible?

The women’s movement of the 1960’s brought about many great economic, educational and social improvements.  While we all agree that this is a great accomplishment, our human biology unfortunately doesn’t agree with this.

With these new societal gains, come delayed childbearing so that one can achieve their dreams and goals.  Women are waiting until their mid 30’s and 40’s to have children, which is usually about the time the one feels economically independent.  However, it is during these years that one’s fertility begins to diminish, causing many to deal with infertility.

Fertility Preservation

Fertility Preservation techniques are currently being optimized so that this will not be a problem.  Moreover, those who have an urgent need to preserve their fertility, such as those who will undergo radio and/or chemotherapy for cancer, can also have access to these technologies.  We can currently preserve embryos for all patients with excellent future pregnancy rates.  However, one needs sperm to fertilize an egg to create an embryo, a problem for many who don’t have a committed partner, unless one elects to go to a sperm bank.

We're hoping that Egg Freezing will soon be an even more reliable solution that will preserve one’s fertility. Currently, Egg Freezing is considered experimental and should not be performed outside of an approved experimental protocol from a research institution or approved fertility center. Success rates are improving, but are not exceptional to this point, requiring the harvesting of several eggs so that hopefully one of these not only survives the freeze and thaw, but also retain its competency to be fertilized and grow as an embryo in the future.

When Egg Freezing becomes a more reliable technique, the day may arrive in which single women in their early 30’s can begin banking their eggs until they find a partner they wish to have a child with…leveling the playing field with men so that a woman doesn’t have to feel her “biological clock” ticking.