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A trigger shot is a hormone injection used in fertility treatments to promote egg maturation and release from the ovaries. It's also called an HCG shot since it typically contains the hormone human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG).
Egg freezing in female fertility preservation involves freezing the unfertilized eggs in liquid nitrogen. These eggs are collected by administering hormonal stimulation for a period of 10-12 days. Once harvested, the eggs are frozen and stored for use at a later stage.
With embryo freezing, the harvested eggs are fertilized using the male partner’s sperm via IVF. The fertilized embryo is then stored in liquid nitrogen and thawed whenever required.
A sample of ovarian tissue is harvested and stored in liquid nitrogen. It’s thawed out when needed and implanted in the female pelvis. After about 9 months, the implanted tissue begins to produce hormones, and soon, follicles develop. With this technique, it’s possible to achieve pregnancy naturally rather than resorting to IVF. However, ovarian tissue freezing is still in the experimental stage and is not widely used in the mainstream.
The harvested eggs are processed and labeled with the preserver’s details. The temperature of the eggs is then brought down to a level below the freezing point. The eggs are subsequently stored in a controlled environment under strict quality assurance guidelines which ensures their complete safety.
Freezing embryos places them into what can be best described as a deep sleep or hibernation state. The cellular activities are slowed down to such an extent that the cells go into stasis. Therefore, the cells do not suffer damage due to the freezing as they are basically sleeping and inactive, so to say. The eggs thus stored are not used to perform any tests or research purposes; they are kept in a pristine condition to be used whenever required.
The reproductive system is severely affected as a result of cancers and subsequent treatment. Exposure to chemotherapy or radiotherapy can either cause subfertility, infertility or lead to mutations in the genes within the unfertilized eggs which can result in fetuses with genetic anomalies.
However, with the advent of female fertility preservation, women undergoing chemotherapy or radiotherapy can preserve their fertility for future needs.
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