‘Your ovaries can’t see your face’: Soha Ali Khan shares what a gynaecologist said when she contemplated freezing her eggs at 35

“Kunal (Khemu; husband)  and I never really prioritised having children. I was 35 when we got married, and I was aware of the biological clock. I think we didn’t take it very seriously. But by the time I became 38, I knew if we wanted to become parents, we had to be intentional. We tried naturally for about 6-8 months, but nothing happened. Then I started tracking my ovulation and consulted a gynaecologist, and we began exploring everything – from IVF to IUIs and adoption,” the 46-year-old said.

She continued, “Then one day, I missed my period. I took a test. Two pink lines. I was pregnant. But even in those 6-10 months, the journey towards becoming pregnant was definitely not easy. It was confusing, full of pressure, certainly for Kunal and for me.”

Taking a cue from her confession, let’s examine how your biological age affects the quality of your eggs, even if you appear and feel youthful.

While we may be fit and look quite youthful, our eggs will unfortunately age as we get older, said Dr Aakriti Batra, a fertility specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, Rohini, Delhi-NCR.

“Indian women’s ovaries age six years faster compared to Caucasian women. Women are born with a finite number of eggs, and as we age, after the age of 35, our eggs decline in both quality and quantity. 35 years and older is what we call advanced maternal age, where the eggs would have already reduced, and hence it is ideal to plan your pregnancy before your mid-30s. After 35s, the egg count and quality can decline quite rapidly. It’s not that the egg is dead, but the chances of finding a healthy egg reduce,” said Dr Batra.

Notably, egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a procedure that enables women to preserve their eggs without compromising their fertility.

According to Dr Batra, gynaecologists view egg freezing more from a preventative lens, where women can consider freezing their eggs in their late 20s or early 30s, when their egg count and quality are optimal. “We are observing a rise in social egg freezing where even unmarried women are enquiring about options like egg freezing to postpone parenthood. It could be because they don’t have a partner yet, or they want to focus on their career or education. Sometimes, for some women who have medical conditions like Endometriosis and Premature ovarian reserve, we recommend egg freezing,” said Dr Batra.

Here’s what you should consider (Photo: Getty Images/Thinkstock)

Before a woman freezes her eggs, a fertility test is conducted, which includes crucial factors such as understanding follicle count, an AMH test (Anti-Müllerian Hormone), and the fertility hormone, which determines a woman’s egg reserve. “We counsel women on whether they can opt for egg freezing, and should look at it more as an insurance policy, in case they cannot conceive, they can use the frozen eggs,” said Dr Batra.

So, age plays an extremely crucial role.

However, it is important to remember that every woman is different. According to Dr Mandavi Rai, senior fertility and IVF specialist, Motherhood Fertility & IVF, Noida, some may experience a reduced reserve earlier, while others retain good fertility health for longer.

“Regular fertility checks, including simple tests like AMH, can help women understand their reproductive health better. This knowledge allows them to make decisions about family planning, which can mean trying earlier, considering egg freezing, or exploring fertility treatments if needed. All we want to say is awareness about fertility is the need of the hour and not wait for surprises,” said Dr Rai.

DISCLAIMER: This article is based on information from the public domain and/or the experts we spoke to. Always consult your health practitioner before starting any routine.