Support oocyte freezing

Egg freezing is still a recent medical procedure for many women, often experienced as an intimate, preventive and sometimes emotionally charged decision. In this context, midwives can play a valuable role in informing, listening and coordinating, even if their involvement is still little known to the general public.

What can a midwife offer in the context of oocyte freezing?

Trained in reproductive health in all its dimensions, midwives can intervene at various points in the oocyte freezing process, in particular to:

• Informing and deciphering the medical steps : functioning of the cycle, ovarian stimulation, puncture, anesthesia, freezing...
• Provide emotional support : responding to doubts, coping with stress or the feeling of isolation sometimes associated with this process.
• Track the body and the cycle : depending on the case, it can offer general health monitoring (weight, tension, pelvic pain, digestion, side effects).
• Preparing a possible sequel : reappropriation of the body, support for the natural cycle, referral to other professionals if future pregnancy plans.

In which cases should you consult?

• Before freezing, for ask questions outside of a purely medical framework and to take more time than with your gynecologist;
• During the protocol, for managing physical or emotional discomforts,
• Or after, for resume a natural gynecological follow-up, reconnect with your cycle, or talk about what's next.

Midwives often take more time than gynaecos, they are an asset in putting this approach into a global approach to your health and allowing you to have a place where you can take your time and listen.

Oocyte quality is an essential parameter in an oocyte freezing process. Although it is largely determined by age, some lifestyle factors, especially diet, can play a modulatory role. In this context, the support of a dietitian can make it possible tooptimize the metabolic and antioxidant environment before ovarian stimulation.

How can diet have an impact on oocyte quality?

The objective of nutritional monitoring in this context is not to “boost fertility” at all costs, but to:

• reduce low-grade inflammation, often linked to an ultra-processed diet,
• improve the antioxidant profile of the cellular environment, to protect the oocytes,
• support hormonal balance and insulin sensitivity,
• avoid deficiencies in key nutrients such as zinc, selenium, vitamins B, C, D, E, or omega-3.

A dietitian will be able to offer individualized support, taking into account cycles, weight, oxidative stress and possible associated pathologies (PCOS, endometriosis, etc.).

What are the statistics on the links between nutrition and oocyte quality?

• One scientific review (Ruder et al., 2008) points out that a diet rich in antioxidants, essential fatty acids, and low in refined sugars may contribute to improving oocyte quality and the response to stimulation.
  
• A study (Gaskins et al., 2014) conducted on women undergoing IVF showed that a Mediterranean-type diet (rich in vegetables, fish, vegetable oils) was associated with better embryonic results.
  
• A publication (Chavarro et al., 2007) shows that processed fats and refined sugar are associated with a decrease in ovulatory fertility, which could indirectly influence oocyte quality.
  

Food does not change the age of the oocyte, but it can clearly influence:

• The quality of the cellular environment,
• the ovarian response to stimulation,
• and Physical recovery after puncture.

A dietitian specializing in hormonal health can support this stage in a personalized, natural way, and complementary to the medical protocol.

Egg freezing involves hormonal stimulation followed by an ovarian puncture, a protocol that intensively mobilizes the body and the hormonal system. In this context, some women choose to be accompanied by an osteopath to prepare their body in a global and non-invasive way. Even if there are no specific scientific studies on the subject, osteopathy can be a interesting additional support.

What can osteopathy do before oocyte freezing?

Osteopathy is based on the idea that a body in structural and functional balance promotes better adaptation to changes. Before oocyte freezing, the osteopath can work on several axes:

• Releasing pelvic tensions (uterine ligaments, ovaries, pelvis);
• Improve the Diaphragm mobility and blood flow to the reproductive organs;
• Accompany the digestive, lower back, or pelvic pain often present during periods of stimulation;
• Promote a better recovery after the puncture, by relieving post-intervention tensions.

The approach is gentle, individualized, and always non-intrusive. It adapts to the cycle and to the stage of the protocol, in coordination with the medical team if possible.

Even in the absence of direct scientific data concerning oocyte freezing, osteopathy can help:

• prepare the physical and tissue terrain before stimulation,
• relieve some discomforts during the protocol,
• support a better body perception and overall relaxation, precious in a journey that is sometimes anxiety-provoking.

Useful support for those who want to experience this process in a more global, natural and connected way to their body.

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Since you are asking yourself the question of oocyte freezing, being interested in their quality and wondering whether it is possible or not, increasing this quality is also key. Some women turn to acupuncture to optimize their chances before a puncture and also to welcome this stage as calmly as possible. But can this practice really improve oocyte quality? Two recent studies suggest a potential for positive impact, but with caution in interpretation.

Acupuncture and oocyte quality: an action on the hormonal and circulatory fields

In traditional Chinese medicine, oocyte quality is linked to the vitality of the “Jing” (vital essence) stored in the kidneys, and to a good flow of blood and energy to the ovaries. Acupuncture therefore works to:

• improve ovarian microcirculation,
• reduce oxidative stress markers,
• support follicular maturation,
• optimize ovarian response before stimulation,
• and preparing the body for a better quality oocyte puncture.

Acupuncture and oocyte freezing: what does the research say?

It does not exist no strong medical consensus yet on the direct link between acupuncture and oocyte quality, but some well-constructed studies open up interesting paths.

• Song, J. et al. (2023) : this randomized study conducted on women over 38 years of age shows that acupuncture performed during an IVF protocol Improve the morphology and vitality of the oocytes collected, with a better maturation rate (MII).
  

• Stephan, J.M. (2011) : in this French publication, the author highlights the effect of acupuncture on ovarian vascularization and follicular function, in connection with better oocyte quality observed in clinical practice. It has a better hormonal profile andoocytes of more homogeneous quality, according to puncture feedback in monitored patients.
  

No studies have shown irrefutably That acupuncture increases oocyte quality in a systematic way, but it seems act on favorable factors to this quality: circulation, hormonal balance, response to ovarian stimulation.
This is an approach to consider in a global approach to fertility preservation, especially before a freeze or an IVF cycle, but it's not a magic formula! It must be part of global support and can help reduce stress.

Deciding to freeze your oocytes is often much more than a medical procedure. It is an intimate decision, sometimes heavy, that touches on personal, social, identity and emotional dimensions. In this context, psychological support can play an essential role, whether before, during or after the protocol and whether it is done by a psychologist or another professional dedicated to emotional support. Indeed, as psychologists are in high demand, experts in emotional support (sophrologist, psychopractitioner, etc.) who are sensitive to issues related to fertility can also be a major asset in the process of oocyte preservation.

In which cases should you consult a psychologist or a psychopractitioner?

Each woman experiences this journey differently. Going to a psychologist does not mean going bad, but take space to clarify, file and support this approach that can call into question stages of life or make you aware of certain buried things. A psychologist or other professional dedicated to emotional support in an oocyte freezing process can help you:

• Explore your motivations : why now? For whom? For what?
• Dealing with social, family or professional pressure related to this personal choice;
• Accompanying emotions related to stimulation, waiting, or puncture;
• Relieve body tensions or feelings of dissociation, sometimes triggered during the protocol,
• Managing the questions of the “maternity project”, which is obviously a subject for the patient's future.

An emotional support specialist will allow you to express yourself in a confidential and non-judgmental space in order to promote a better understanding of yourself and your choices, while evaluating and adjusting these decisions as needed. The aim is also to deconstruct certain injunctions such as those related to age, the biological clock or the pressure to succeed, in order to allow this stage to be lived with reinforced emotional stability. The aim? Help prepare for the rest of the journey, whether the desire for motherhood is immediate or not.

An oocyte freezing process is obviously medical, but it also involves reflection and emotional commitment. In this context, Hypnosis can be a valuable complementary approach to support stress, blockages, fears or physical feelings related to the preservation protocol.

What can hypnosis contribute to the preservation process?

Hypnosis allows a altered state of consciousness in which the mind is more receptive to certain positive suggestions. The objective is not to control the body, but to accompany it in a state of relaxation, confidence and refocusing. Before or during oocyte freezing, hypnotherapy can:

• ease anticipatory stress or anxiety, often linked to injections, punctures or medical conditions,
• work on the unconscious fears or ambivalences around fertility and the future,
• improve physical tolerance at certain stages of the protocol (pain, tension, disturbed sleep),
• Strengthen a sense of alignment and inner clarity in a decision that is sometimes complex to make alone.

Some practitioners also train their patients in self-hypnosis in order to integrate the benefits of letting go more daily.

What is the ideal time to practice hypnosis in an oocyte freezing process?

• Upstream of the process to create a state of calm before stimulation, or to set an intention around the d
• Between two stages the protocol to regulate the mind and support the body,
• After the puncture, to facilitate emotional and physical recovery.

The work can be one-off or spread over several sessions, depending on the woman's needs and her personal experience.

Hypnosis does not affect oocyte quality or medical results, but it can play a key role in the emotional experience of the journey; it remains essential to consult a professional who is sensitive to this subject who can understand the questions surrounding this choice of fertility preservation.

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