Need for Comprehensive Counseling in Women Requesting Oocyte Cryopreservation

Objectives: The aim of this study is to assess current counseling recommendations for women undergoing elective oocyte cryopreservation.

Data sources: PubMed and Clinical Key.

Materials and methods: A search of PubMed and Clinical Key was conducted to assess current counseling practices for elective oocyte cryopreservation.

Results: It is substantiated that uniform counseling guidelines are lacking for this group of assisted reproductive technology (ART) patients presenting only for cryopreserving their oocytes. However, although a woman may be a suitable candidate for pregnancy at the point that she undergoes oocyte cryopreservation, possibly many years later, at the time of oocyte thawing, this same woman may have multiple risk factors, which will increase her risk for pregnancy-related maternal and fetal morbidity and mortality.

Conclusions: Given the increasing use of oocyte cryopreservation, data support that women be extensively counseled at the time they are requesting elective oocyte cryopreservation for future use in the same manner that they are counseled when requesting ART for pursuing an immediate pregnancy.