The technique of egg pooling is proving to be quite beneficial for females with a lower egg count and those who want to start a family at an older age. In the case of a female having a low ovarian reserve, her body would only release one or two eggs in a normal course of a standard IVF procedure.
However, instead of focusing on the fertilisation process involving one or two eggs and leaving it up to luck, the egg pooling process involves going through several egg collections consecutively. By combining eggs from different rounds, more eggs would be available for fertilisation.
Why is egg pooling important with age?
According to Dr Bhavana Girish, IVF Specialist at Motherhood Fertility & IVF, Banshankari & Indiranagar, Bangalore, “The reason why this procedure is extremely helpful is that with age, a woman’s eggs may be affected adversely, making pregnancy more difficult. Collecting eggs or embryos in higher quantity allows carrying out health tests on all of them collectively. Thus, the strongest and healthiest embryo can be identified before its implantation into the womb, reducing the risk of miscarriage and sparing the patient the trauma of multiple failures.”
Reducing stress in the IVF journey
The entire process becomes much less stressful, as it follows a well-thought-out, stage-by-stage approach. Instead of repeated unsuccessful cycles, patients can move forward with better confidence and planning.
Although egg pooling does take more time due to its several cycles before reaching the final stage, it still provides people with real hope that they may not have had before. This is because egg pooling enables women to save their eggs at their peak quality, rather than relying on a single cycle that may fail.
This technique can be seen as an effective way of dealing with biological clocks and planning pregnancy more strategically.
Who can benefit from egg pooling?
According to Dr Pallavi Prasad, Nova IVF Fertility, Basveshawaranagar, Bengaluru, “The process of egg pooling has developed into a method that helps women who experience low ovarian reserve due to low Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) levels or those who are past their reproductive years. Such patients usually produce fewer eggs during one IVF cycle, which decreases their chances of developing successful embryos.”
How egg pooling improves IVF success rates?
“Egg pooling solves this problem by gathering and preserving eggs or embryos from different stimulation cycles to create a larger pool. This increases the chances of successful fertilisation or embryo transfer. The clinical reasoning behind egg pooling is to improve overall success rates by using multiple cycles rather than relying on a single attempt,” the doctor added.
The likelihood of creating genetically healthy embryos increases when there are more eggs available, especially since egg quality declines with age. Advanced procedures such as Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) and genetic testing work alongside egg pooling to improve outcomes.
Disclaimer: Dear readers, this article provides general information and advice only. It is not at all professional medical advice. Therefore, always consult your doctor or a healthcare specialist for more information.
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