As a professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Penn State College of Medicine, it is my responsibility to provide care to women and couples with infertility, including access to the breadth of fertility treatment options. My objective goal is to help achieve health equity by creating higher geographic access and helping build the next generation of leaders who will be health-tech advocates. As an ambassador for women’s reproductive health, I have witnessed the importance of being culturally accepting, open-minded, and, inclusive.
In order to achieve my goal as well as explain the process, I had the opportunity to share my knowledge on The Philly Voice. The Philly Voice is a digital-only source for news and information that entertains and drives thoughtful discussion. PhillyVoice.com was launched in 2014 and has grown to be a competitive media publisher that has been read and followed by millions.
“Nearly 4,000 women opted to have their eggs frozen in 2013, according to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology.”
Egg freezing, known formally as oocyte cryopreservation, is a procedure used to save women’s ability to get pregnant in the future. A frozen egg can be thawed, combined with sperm in a lab, and implanted in the uterus (in vitro fertilization). Egg freezing might be an option if you’re not ready to become pregnant now but you want to try to make sure you can get pregnant later. Samantha Butts had the opportunity to share her knowledge of egg freezing and how it can help plan the future for those that decide to have a family.
“We want to empower women, so they’re making decisions from a position of power and not scarcity.”
“The process requires hormone treatments necessary to stimulate ovaries and ripen multiple eggs, which are later removed by a needle in a non-surgical procedure. The eggs are then frozen through a rapid freezing process called vitrification.”
“Price remains another significant factor women must consider before freezing their eggs.”
“The costs related to these things are not trivial. I think every person has to determine if they have both the emotional and financial wherewithal to proceed with a treatment like this.”
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Samantha Butts, MD MSCE, is a reproductive endocrinologist and sought-after thought leader in FemTech. She specializes in treating individuals and couples who require fertility treatments to achieve pregnancy. Currently, Sam serves as a professor of obstetrics and gynecology and chief of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at Penn State Health. She is devoted to building the next generation of medical leaders, who will lead the way in health tech, patient education, and reproductive health equity.
