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Episode 1. Should I freeze my eggs? With Dr. Dan Nayot

 

Have you ever thought about freezing your eggs?

If you're a woman in your thirties, heck if you're a woman in your twenties, chances are egg freezing has come across your radar at least once. So much around it can feel overwhelming, scary and unknown. How does egg freezing actually work?? How much does it cost? Does it hurt? How old should you be when you freeze your eggs? What are the success rates? How does it affect future fertility?

In this episode - the very first episode of In Her Prime, Talia sits down with Dr. Dan Nayot to learn all about social egg freezing. From the testing that's done, to the hormones you take, to the egg freezing process itself, a lot is explained. For reference, Dr. Nayot practices out of Canada so the information provided on things like cost and insurance is based on Canadian stats. That being said, this episode is still immensely relevant to anyone, anywhere who wants to learn more about egg freezing as the process itself remains largely the same wherever egg freezing is done.  

 

The purpose of this episode is to help provide you with more in-depth information on social egg freezing from a medical expert, not to make recommendations on what you should or should not do. Of course, that decision belongs to you. Listen and enjoy, and if you have any questions, comments, or personal experiences you'd like to share, you can do so in our free, private Facebook community, PrimeMates. Sign up here to join the conversation.

 

 

Dr. Dan Nayot, MD, M.Sc., FRCSC, REI

Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility Specialist (REI)

Dr. Dan Nayot trained at internationally recognized institutions, obtaining his medical degree from the University of Western Ontario, and completing his Obstetrics and Gynecology Residency at the University of Toronto. Shortly thereafter, Dr. Nayot completed a Royal College fellowship in Gynecologic Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at McGill University, Canada's largest University-based reproductive centre.

Continuing his academic pursuits at Harvard University, Dr. Nayot received his Masters of Science degree in Clinical Epidemiology. He has been awarded several research grants and academic scholarships, authored numerous scientific papers, and presented at international medical conferences.

Dr. Nayot is an active reviewer for several esteemed fertility scientific journals and continues to be involved in clinical research. He is an Assistant Professor at the University of Toronto in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and trains students at various stages of their medical programs.

Dr. Nayot is committed to providing his patients with individualized evidence-based care. He is a strong believer in empowering patients to make educated decisions, whether by appraising the latest research studies or facilitating a holistic team approach to infertility.

 

Show Notes:

Connect with Dr. Dan Nayot:

5:45 - Explanation of the "biological clock": egg quality and egg quantity in relation to time.

6:40 - Egg quality, biological aging and mitochondria

9:00 - "Slow Freezing" - the old technology of egg freezing

9:40 - The top breakthroughs in egg freezing technology

10:36 - Thoughts on social egg freezing being offered as incentives (in the US) to female employees in companies like Google and Facebook

13:15 - Who is social egg freezing not good for? 

16:00 - Freezing eggs vs. freezing embryos

17:40 - Eggs vs. the uterus - what affects pregnancy more as women get older?

18:18 - How egg freezing is NOT a guarantee, it's not insurance, it's a backup plan

18:48 - How doctors predict egg freezing success rates for patients

19:28 - What is your "ovarian reserve" and how is it determined? How does fertility testing work?

23:17 - What percentage of women are actually using their own previously frozen eggs? 

24:29 - Is it worth it?

24:51 - What happens after ovarian reserve testing when you're ready to move forward with egg freezing?

27:11 - Where do frozen eggs get stored? 

27:44 - How painful is egg freezing?

28:23 - How do the hormones you inject and the egg freezing process affect future fertility?

29:47 - What is a follicle? 

30:54 - Cost of egg freezing in Canada (estimated range) and is it covered by insurance in Canada?

34:31 - Diet and lifestyle for fertility health

35:59 - When should someone see a doctor to explore social egg freezing?

36:54 - Future Fertility and the new AI technology being developed to measure egg quality 

43:19 - Prime Time quick-fire Q&A!