It was a role that Breanne Irving has always known that she wanted to play.
“For me, the” children “thing has never been a” I’m not sure “- it has always been a definitive” devil yes “, said Irving.
But Calgary’s wife’s path to maternity is more difficult than expected.
The 36 -year -old palliative care doctor first thought of freezing his eggs at the age of 30, but with his career who launched himself and other complications of personal life, decided that it was not the right time.
“I continued no, I need to finish this medical training, no, I need to sort this first and now … I may have missed my luck for the thing I wanted in the most life.”
Almost four years later, she started the process for a period of upheaval in her life, to make sure that she would have the opportunity to have a family when she was ready.
“I was no longer saying, no more chronology extensions,” said Irving.
“Something really seemed to be, deeply bad about it (waiting) and I don’t know if it was my ovaries” Mayday! ” »»
Doctor of Calgary Breanne Irving, 36, has always wanted to be a mother and spent more than $ 50,000 for fertility treatments – a process that she wants to have started earlier and wants others to be aware.
Global News
Irving’s fertility journey started with the shocking discovery that her ovarian reserve was weak, and if she wanted to have children, she had to freeze her eggs immediately – or even better, gel embryos.
Surprises continued when she learned the quality and production of eggs generally decrease for women over 32.
“I remember that I had to reserve a follow -up with my fertility doctor after my first consultation because I was so upset,” reflects Irving. “I don’t know if I can even describe it with words.
“It was devastating, especially because I always wanted to be a mom.”
A long process of freezing eggs and embryos – without warranty
The freezing of eggs or embryos is not an instant process, according to the Pacific Center for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM) in Edmonton, one of the largest clinics in Canada.
In order to freeze their eggs, women must undergo a process very similar to an in vitro fertilization cycle (IVF).
This involves injections of follicle stimulating hormones and gonadotrophin for about 10 days to stimulate the development and maturation of several eggs in the ovaries at the same time.
The eggs are then removed from the ovaries via a needle and checked under the microscope for maturity.
At this stage, if the patient suffered IVF, the eggs would be inseminated in a laboratory and left for five days to see which would transform into embryos which would then be transferred to the woman’s uterus. If several viable embryos have formed, some patients choose to freeze them for subsequent pregnancy attempts.
For those who seek to freeze their eggs or embryos to use the road, they are cryoconsered using flash freezing technology called vitrification.
Eggs can be frozen for an indefinite period without damage and according to Canadian directives, women can use their frozen eggs to obtain pregnancy until the age of 50.
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Irving’s fertility doctor, who is based in Vancouver, could only recover three eggs during the first cycle of collection.
After a break, Irving tried again, going back to a second round where the doctor was able to gather 10 other eggs.
Of these 13 total eggs, nine have been fertilized, but only one became a viable embryo.
Having a viable embryo does not mean a guaranteed and successful pregnancy, so Irving plans to go back for a third round despite the physical, emotional and financial cost.
What does it cost? Spoiler: a lot
Fertility treatments are not cheap. Not all facilities lists their expenses, But PCRM does and the price varies Based on the procedure, the required drugs and the complexity of what is involved.
Eggs freezing at the PCRM costs around $ 10,000 just for the procedure, and the required drugs are an additional $ 3,600 to $ 8,600. The defrosting and fertilization of these eggs cost $ 8,650.
An IVF cycle at the PCRM is around $ 12,250 the cost of the drugs mentioned above, which varies according to what is necessary. Storage of eggs or embryos is $ 750 per year and the transfer of a frozen embryo starts at around $ 3,500. As the complexity of procedures required an increase (as for genetic tests), the cost also does it.
A FIV round can end up costing almost $ 24,000 in Alberta, and there is no guarantee that this will lead to pregnancy and a successful baby.
A survey of Alberta fertility Last year showed Cost is a major obstacle for many people who find it difficult to start a family.
The advocacy and awareness group interviewed nearly 650 Albertans in September 2023.
He noted that 74% of the people requested did not carry out fertility treatments due to the cost and 90% of these respondents said that financial assistance from the provincial government would have enabled them to try.
Last year, British Columbia announced that it would join Ontario, Manitoba and Quebec to finance in vitro fertilization treatments (IVF) from April 2025.
In Alberta, although consultations with fertility specialists are covered, real fertility treatments themselves – the most expensive part – is not funded by the province.
Residents must either count on private insurance schemes – many of which have financial limits for life or only cover certain things such as drugs but not procedures – or completely pay the pocket.
Irving has previously spent between $ 50,000 and $ 55,000 on the process.
Next week, she goes to her fertility doctor in British Columbia for her third cycle of egg recovery – adding to her expenses.
“The most difficult part is the piece of uncertainty, you really have no idea every time it will be the result,” said Irving.
“At least, I discovered when I could still do something, but I definitely felt regrets about” Oof, I would have liked to go earlier. “”
1 out of 6 Canadians are faced with fertility problems
April 21-27 marks the Canadian fertility awareness week.
About one in six Canadian is faced with fertility problems and defenders says it is a subject that can still be shaded by stigma, preventing those who want to develop their family by knowing all their options.
“At school, everything is in sex education,” explains Carolynn Dube with Fertility Matters Canada. “We learn to prevent pregnancy or STDs, and we have no conversations on reproductive health and future family planning.”
Fertility Matters Canada hopes to change the way in which fertility treatment is considered through the Canadian campaign of the week of awareness of fertility, to raise awareness, to ensure education and to support those who are confronted with infertility and related problems.
“Sometimes you have the impression that it is only you so that the more people can share, the more people can have the impression that someone else understands what they feel,” explains Dube.
They are specialists in Hope conversation fertility will gain ground, because the average age of a first mother in Canada continues to climb – now seated almost 32 years, against 27 years in 1977.
Dr. Ariana Daniel is a reproductive endocrinologist and fertility specialist and medical director of the Reproductive Alberta Center, which opened in 2023.
Previously, she worked at the Pacific Center for Reproductive Medicine (PCRM) in Edmonton.
Daniel’s customers go to couples trying to design members of the LGBTQ + community and those looking for fertility preservation services for those who undergo cancer treatments.
It has declared that infertility has an impact on 17% of the population and that the age of patients increases – but biology does not adapt to societal change.
“(The new parents) are starting to see us later for fertility care,” said Dr. Ariana Daniel. “At this point, this can mean that they do not have as many options, they do not have as many eggs and the treatments do not work as well.”
People can ask for fertility care before being ready to have children, said Dr. Daniel, as a proactive tool for family planning, especially if they plan to freeze their eggs. She encourages people to examine it earlier, rather than later.
“This may not predict your ability in the future, but it can tell you now that it could be more important to you, then say someone else, to see a fertility specialist, do the tests.
“And then make a truly informed decision to know if the time has come to really intervene and make a difference to find out if you can have children.”
Breanne Irving is always optimistic, she can recover enough eggs to build the family she has always wanted.
She hopes her story will help others learn what she has discovered at the hard time – it is never too early to know your options.
“It helped me restart certain things in my life. I decided instead of trying to buy a house, I will spend money on fertility stuff.
“I think many women would probably reassess their family planning if they know that a major cut is at 32.”
– With Quinn Ohler files, Global News