In an interview with theAsianparent, radio and TV Host Sam Oh shares having kids isn't something she wants to put on hold.
But having her eggs frozen, a decision she arrived at after turning 36, was something to "cover her bases".
"I didn't do this to delay having kids," she clarified. "If anything, I did it because I wanna make sure, as much as I can, that I have them. If I could have it my way, I would have kids right now (laughs). But the stars haven't aligned yet and this is just me covering my bases while I wait."
"It's something that I've known about for a few years but I don't think I seriously considered it until this year. I turned 36 in January and I was single..."
The possibility was something she had been interested in.
"It's something that I've known about for a few years but I don't think I seriously considered it until this year. I turned 36 in January and I was single," shares Sam. "I have a girlfriend who's in the same boat and freezing our eggs was something that came up in our conversations from time to time," she revealed, adding that it was her friend who first researched about it initially.
"There was no particular incident that triggered it. I think I was just starting to think about the baby situation more seriously this year and I wasn't panicking or anything but I knew that there were some real biological concerns at my age. I wanted to cover my bases," emphasized Sam.
Being showered with support by family, friends, and strangers
"My brother was the first family member I told and he was supportive. My mom and dad were next and they were amused and happy for me. Everyone thought it was a great idea."
Support didn't only come from her inner circle, her followers and fans showered her with warm, encouraging, and loving messages. "It was surprising and a little embarrassing too - I'm not the first person that froze her eggs, am I?" admits Sam, laughing. "What I mean is, I kind of felt like I was taking too much credit just for spreading the word about a procedure that's been around all along. But it's been wonderful."
Learn more about Sam's experience on the next page
It wasn't something she planned but she thought about it for a few months leading to the time she had to go to the clinic. "It progressed pretty fast from there," recounts Sam of the 11-day process.
After undergoing some tests, which included a transvaginal ultrasound and a blood test, to determine "STD’s, the state of her follicles, and hormone levels," she was given pills to promote ovulation.
"When everything turned out to be normal, I was sent home with hormone injections and an ovulatory stimulant in pill form to be taken over the next 4 days," she wrote in her blog.
After four days, she returned to the clinic for a test to determine whether her follicles were responding to the treatment.
"At my age, 8 eggs will apparently suffice for 3-4 children but I was urged to consider a second round of harvesting to be on the safe side. FYI, I’m told the best age to do this is 36 and under."
When the doctor found that she was responding well, she was sent home for a new kind of hormone.
When she returned to the clinic, the doctor decided that "All was well and the doctor told me that we will be harvesting 8 eggs. I was told in the initial consultation that a good number of eggs to freeze is 20 so I asked him about this and apparently that figure is based on women of all ages who have undergone this procedure. At my age, 8 eggs will apparently suffice for 3-4 children but I was urged to consider a second round of harvesting to be on the safe side. FYI, I’m told the best age to do this is 36 and under."
Her entire experience taught her that "information is indeed empowering"
Her entire experience taught her that "information is indeed empowering".
"Many women reached out to tell me that they were afraid before reading about my experience because they just didn't know what would happen or how much it was gonna cost," says Sam, who details the process and how it cost in her own blog. "I think many of our fears really stem from not knowing."
As for women who are considering going through a similar process. Here's Sam's advice: "Look into it and do what works for you. It's a great option and if you decide it's for you, that's awesome. If you decide it's not for you, that's fine too. It's your body and it's your life so arm yourself with as much information as you can and decide for yourself. You'd be at peace with that."
Most importantly though, Sam believes women should not give in to the pressure to have kids. "That's a huge responsibility. And hey, we're big girls! We should be able to decide on those things as we see fit, thankyouverymuch."
She details the 11-day process in her blog entry about her experience. Read it in full, here.
READ: 6 Advantages of having kids after 30
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