NEW YORK, Oct. 14, 2013 /PRNewswire-iReach/ -- Manhattan-based infertility clinic Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York (RMA of New York) has announced the results of a study aimed at identifying the primary motivations behind women who choose to undergo elective oocyte cryopreservation.

What Makes A Woman Freeze: The Impetus Behind Patients' Desires To Undergo Elective Oocyte Cryopreservation by Georgia Witkin, Ph.D., et al., will be presented in an oral session on Monday, October 14th from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the 2013 annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) to be held from October 12th through the 17th in Boston, Massachusetts.

The research reveals that women undergo elective oocyte cryopreservation, or "egg freezing" for a variety of social reasons. In her presentation, Dr. Witkin reports that women who had electively chosen to freeze their eggs were commonly concerned that someday they might not medically be able to conceive due to health problems. In other words, they did equate social egg freezing as much a "medical" treatment as an "elective" one.

Other women who participated in the study wanted to preserve their option of future fertility because at the time of consultation, they were neither interested in becoming a single mother by choice nor did they have a partner with whom they wanted to create embryos. The authors also found that egg freezing patients were not yet uncertain whether they wanted to have children in the future.

Georgia Witkin, Ph.D., a clinical psychologist at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York, counsels women when they consider options for cryopreservation of their eggs. Witkin speaks frequently to the media regarding the topic of egg freezing, and has contributed to articles with The Huffington Post and the Chicago Tribune, citing egg freezing as a matter of control and choice for women who decide to undergo the procedure. In many cases, women who choose egg freezing as an option are uncertain whether they want to have children in the future, however they do not want to miss the opportunity in case they later decide that becoming a parent is important to them. Others may wish to preserve their fertility until they are able to find a partner with which to have a family.

Witkin reported that egg freezing enables women to relax and think more positively about pursuing a career or other life experiences. It can also allow a woman to think less of potential fertility problems, especially in the realm of dating and relationships, and to focus on other aspects of building relationships and forming more positive bonds with potential partners. In all of these cases, oocyte cryopreservation provides a viable option for women who are uncertain of their future reproductive plans.

Georgia Witkin, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist at Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York, as well as an assistant professor in the Department of Obstetrics and Reproductive Science and in the Department of Psychiatry at Mount Sinai Medical Center. Co-authors of the study include Ann Tran, M.D.; Joseph Lee, B.A.; Lisa Schuman, LCSW; Lawrence Grunfeld, M.D.; and Jaime Knopman, M.D.

About Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York

Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York (RMA of New York) is widely recognized as a national and international leader in state-of-the-art reproductive medicine. Led by an integrated team of doctors and scientists with extensive reproductive endocrinology, fertility and urology experience and training, RMA of New York consistently reports IVF success rates to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and is internationally recognized for achieving high success rates in the treatment of infertility. RMA of New York maximizes access to care by helping patients explore all insurance coverage and financing options available for treatment. RMA of New York is sensitive to the needs of the LGBT community, women choosing single or same-sex motherhood, as well as women interested in elective fertility preservation. Headquartered in midtown Manhattan, RMA of New York has patient care facilities in Garden City, White Plains, Brooklyn and Cornwall, NY. For more information, please visitwww.rmany.com.

Media Contact: Victoria Andretta, Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York, 212-756-5777, vandretta@rmany.com

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Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York Reports Results at ASRM 2013 on Findings Related to Motivations of Women ...