• 女孩與氣球/2022/Banksy
  Girl with Balloon/2022/Banksy
• 有孩子的家最溫暖
  A home with children is the warmest.

Books, newspapers, and magazines can be subscribed to, software is also okay, but can happiness be subscribed too?

Is it possible for a forty-year-old to receive a gift from a thirty-three-year-old? The answer is revealed! The belated gift is twins. Would you be surprised? What's going on here? In their youth, they ventured overseas, pursued education, and entrepreneurship, started a family, and had children, living happily together. This is not a fairy tale, but the life of a modern woman with dreams to fulfill. This equation of happiness may not be everyone's idea, but many have once dreamed of it.

The cover story of iVie Issue 36 left a deep impression on me. In 2012, the Stork Fertility Center had just begun delivering frozen eggs for four years. At the age of thirty-three, with no suitable marriage prospects, she came from overseas, inviting her friends from Shanghai to freeze their eggs together. Freezing happiness was to prepare for entrepreneurship with “advanced readiness”. Being independent, she was accustomed to designing her life script. The adorable pair of baby boys in front of her didn't surprise anyone. Congratulations aside, it's more admirable. She, who studied management, had already done “risk management” for her happiness.

If seven years ago she hadn't “reserved” 23 mature eggs, now, at 40, she would need to retrieve eggs at least three times, consuming 24 eggs to achieve similar results. The cost would be at least triple, not to mention the numerous unseen costs that are hard to estimate. Strangely enough, in this era of advanced reproductive technology, why do most people still spend a lot of money on “regret medicine”? When asked if they would accept egg donation among over 100 people over the age of 43 who wanted to undergo IVF, not a single person said yes, even though it's well known that each egg retrieval only yields a live birth rate of around 5%. Why?

I once asked a celebrity, who underwent 22 egg retrievals and successfully gave birth to twins at the age of 47, “Have you ever heard of egg freezing before?” She said she had heard of it ten years ago, but at that time, she didn't have a boyfriend and thought that freezing eggs might not be necessary. However, she unexpectedly met her partner after turning forty, who pursued her so passionately. She was determined not to accept egg donation but still wanted to have her own children. In the end, she overcame the 'tears of aging' with perseverance. However, the cost was something only a very few could afford, totaling over two million New Taiwan dollars.

People considering egg freezing often struggle with three main concerns: 'may not need it in the future,' 'worried about poor thawing results,' and 'cost.' Over half of the clients I face every day are those with premature ovarian failure or those over the age of forty-three who refuse to borrow eggs. They would rather struggle with money and time, endure repeated setbacks, and still refuse to give up. When I suggest, 'Why not consider borrowing eggs?' I often hear, 'It wouldn't be my own child.' Curiously, I engage in conversation: 'Did you hear about egg freezing when you were younger? If you have unmarried friends around the age of 35, you can suggest they freeze their eggs first; this age offers the highest cost/performance ratio and Cost/Value ratio for egg freezing.

• 年齡Age

• 平均取卵數/1次 
  The average number of eggs retrieved per cycle

• 卵質量正好 是最佳凍存年紀 
  The optimal age for egg freezing because of the quality of eggs is at its best

• 凍卵末班車 今年的一定比明年好
  The last chance for egg freezing. This year's will definitely be better than next year's

• 千金難買早知道 質量一去不復返
  Neither money for foreknowledge, nor medicine for regret. Once the quality of eggs is gone, it cannot be regained.

I've seen many tragic stories of celebrities and others who struggle with money, and I understand now!

The first dilemma: may not need it in the future.

The first dilemma: which may not need it in the future, is redundant, especially for those over 35. Why? Consider this: at ages 35 to 37, freezing eggs becomes crucial. At 38, if one gets married and conceives successfully within a year, takes a half-year to a year's break postpartum, and wants a second child at 40, the chances of conception are low, and the risk of miscarriage is high. Typically, it takes two IVF attempts to succeed, doubling the cost. The previously frozen eggs come in handy as an immediate rescue. So, before answering 'may not need it in the future,' one should first ask themselves, 'How do I want to live my life in the second half?' and strive to make it worthwhile.

The second dilemma: is worried about poor thawing results.

The survival rate of thawed eggs and the results of embryo cultivation of the Stork Fertility Center Egg bank in 2019 can serve as a reference. Throughout the year, 9,869 mature eggs were thawed, with 9,403 surviving (a survival rate of 95%). The fertilization rate was 75%, and the blastocyst formation rate was even higher at 61%. Compared to fresh eggs, the results are outstanding. Of course, there are also a few extreme cases where the thaw survival rate is only about 50-60%, the fertilization rate is less than 50%, and the blastocyst formation rate is less than 30%. Fortunately, these cases only account for about 4%. In other words, out of every hundred clients, ninety-six have excellent results!

• 2019卵子庫解凍成績 
  2019 survival rate of thawed eggs
• 全部解凍9869 
  9869 mature eggs were thawed
• 解凍後存活的成熟卵子95% / 9403
  survival rate 95% / 9403
• 正常受精數75% / 7042
  fertilization 75% / 7042
• 好囊胚數61% / 4298
  blastocyst formation rate 61% / 4298
• * there is 1 out of 2.19 good blastocyst in average
• * 561 cycles were thawed with 9869 mature eggs, in average, 17.6 eggs were thawed in a week in 2019
• * a D5 or D6 BC level embryo can be defined as a good blastocyst

The third dilemma: cost.

If it's just a little more expensive than the highest-tier iPhone, would you be willing? A phone has a lifespan, while egg freezing offers endless possibilities. Or to put it another way: at 35, if it's only a bit more than half your monthly salary, would you freeze your eggs? Children are angels, gifts from heaven. Perhaps you don't want them right now, but soon, you'll need them. I've seen the stories in iVie Issue 35 about Japanese clients coming to Taiwan to borrow eggs: "Seeing your child's adorable face every day, I'm truly grateful that you came into our lives. Mommy will make you happy." A strange feeling of emotion wells up. These Japanese clients have tried IVF with their own eggs at least ten times.

For the young and single, freezing eggs might just be a present "nice to have," but after turning 40, it becomes a "must to have."

Whether at the peak or in the valley of life, always hold hope for happiness. Believe in yourself, believe that the right person will come tomorrow. Take the gift and "store it in your phone" early (Stork App). When you're tired after a busy day and lounging on the couch, "browse" the beyond eggs, silently agreeing that "happiness will soon come." Doesn't that make you happy until dawn?

*This article only reflects the treatment status at the time of writing, and the actual situation should be discussed with the doctor.