#egg banking

Dang, i wrote a whole big long thing on mobile but it didn’t post, sorry!okay, so here’s what you need to know. there’s a whole big process, but to start with, you’ll go back OFF T to start your process when you’re ready.  Ask your hormone doctor, they will probably be able to direct you where to go locally.  If your insurance will cover it, they will also be the point person to help get that process started (you’ll probably need a prior auth to get that covered, and you want it started as soon as possible).  If they didn’t mention fertility preservation to you prior to your starting HRT, I’m sorry- it’s best practice to be counseled about your options before you start hormones. 

here's what you need to know.  (frank medical discussion below, for CW)After you go off T, you’ll start a series of hormones and meds to help your body start making eggs to harvest.  you’ll also get several medical exams, which will include blood lab tests and ultrasounds to tell when things are ready to be collected. When you’re ready, they’ll schedule the harvest, which is done in a quick procedure- you may be given an oral sedative, or you may be fully asleep for it.  they go through your vagina and into your uterus to remove the eggs (no surgical scars on your stomach).  You will rest afterward for 24 hours but you might want to schedule it on a Friday because some people want extra time to recover after.  It can be a little uncomfortable, but not worse than a bad period. there is a charge for the hormones, lab tests, medical exams, harvesting (both the doctor and the hospital fee, usually), and then a separate storage fee (typically billed yearly).  These fees are different depending on where you are, but insurance sometimes covers it, and other times you can get grants to help cover it. 

But to get started, go back to your HRT doctor and let them know you want to bank your eggs for the future, and ask how you can get started. if they answer “hmm idk” then google “egg banking, mycity” and start making calls.