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Egg freezing
Like IVF, preserving your fertility by freezing your eggs is more common now than it once was. Yet, what can be expected of the procedure and how to get started are not as common knowledge despite being a key component of the decision-making process.
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What is egg freezing?
Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a form of assisted reproductive technology used to preserve a person's fertility so that they may be able to have a child at a later point.
The process involves retrieving a person's eggs, rapidly freezing them, and storing them in liquid nitrogen for future use.
How does egg freezing work?
To freeze your eggs, you’ll need to go through a partial IVF cycle, taking you right up to the egg collection step.
The egg freezing process can take up to three weeks and involves a number of steps:
1. Stimulating the ovaries. A daily injection is used at home to stimulate follicular growth within the ovaries. This increases the number of eggs that are collected.
2. Suppressing the natural menstrual cycle. A second daily injection is then added at home to stop natural hormone production and control when your eggs are released.
3. Monitoring progress. Pelvic scans will be performed to check the development and growth of the follicles in the ovaries. This will determine when the eggs are collected from the follicles.
4. Egg retrieval. Once the follicles have reached the correct size, an injection will be given to mature the eggs for collection. A needle is then gently guided through the vaginal wall to capture the eggs one by one. Don’t worry, you will be sedated for this part of the procedure to ensure no pain or discomfort.
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Who can benefit from egg freezing?
Preserving your fertility can be a reassuring option if you’re looking to have a family further down the line.
There are many reasons why you may wish to preserve your fertility. Some of the most common reasons are:
You’re not ready to start a family yet
Lots of individuals come to us knowing that one day they wish to start a family, however, their circumstances mean they are either not financially or emotionally ready. There may be things they want to achieve beforehand, or they simply haven’t met the right partner.
You’re a transgender or non-binary person
If you’re starting hormone replacement therapy or planning to undergo gender surgery as part of the transition process, some or complete loss of fertility can be expected.
You’re about to have treatment for cancer
Cancer treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormone therapy can affect a person’s fertility.
You have a condition that may affect your fertility
Polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis, uterine fibroids, and other health problems can affect a woman’s fertility.
You’re in the Arm Forces or at risk of injury due to your occupation
If you’re working a job deemed as “hazardous” you may wish to preserve your fertility due to the increased risk of injury or exposure to harmful chemicals or illnesses.
The egg freezing process
If you’re interested in freezing your eggs, get in touch with TFP Fertility today and we’ll guide you through the process step by step. We’ll book you in for a consultation during which a fertility specialist will assess the condition of your ovaries.
An AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone) blood test will be carried out to predict how likely you are to produce viable eggs from your ovarian reserve. You’ll also be screened for infectious diseases such as HIV and hepatitis B and C – the results of these tests will have no bearing on whether you can freeze your eggs or not.
How old you need to be to freeze your eggs?
Most patients under the age of 38 can expect to have between 7-14 eggs collected, although this isn’t always possible for patients with low ovarian reserves (low numbers of eggs). Some of the eggs that are collected may not be suitable for freezing.
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Egg freezing options
Eggs can be frozen by slow freezing or vitrification which is a rapid freezing technique.
Vitrification is the preferred method of freezing eggs as it preserves the quality of the eggs and increases the chances of survival after freezing, compared to slow freezing. Egg vitrification can be used immediately after the eggs are retrieved. Once frozen, the eggs can be used for future use.
What are the chances of pregnancy using frozen eggs?
The likelihood of getting pregnant with frozen eggs depends on several factors. One of the most important is the age at which the eggs are frozen; women who freeze their eggs before 35 years old generally have a higher chance of conceiving. Additionally, the success rate is influenced by the number of mature eggs retrieved during the collection process.
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Egg freezing costs
You will receive a detailed breakdown of the cost during your fertility consultation. But here’s a rough guide on our pricing:
Step one: Fertility assessment
AMH blood test and ultrasound scan... £460
Step two: Egg freezing cycle
Egg freezing (including egg retrieval and egg freezing)... £4300
Step three: Storage
Annual storage... £350
Medication will be the only additional cost as this varies depending on your individual needs.
You can find a detailed price list for all treatments on your chosen TFP Fertility clinic page.
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Egg freezing FAQs
How long can I freeze my eggs for?
UK law permits you to store your eggs for use in treatment for up to 55 years from the date they are first placed in storage, however, you must renew your consent every ten years. We’ll reach out when this renewal date approaches so you don’t need to worry about missing it.
How long will it take to freeze my eggs?
To freeze your eggs, you must undergo a partial IVF cycle. The egg freezing part of this process can typically take up to three weeks. This includes the time you will need to take hormone medication to stimulate your egg growth and the monitoring scans you will have to determine when your egg retrieval is carried out.
What decisions do I need to make about my eggs?
Before treatment commences, you'll need to complete consent forms that specify how you want your eggs or sperm to be used.
This includes:
- Age – It is recommended to freeze your eggs before the age of 35, as there is a higher chance of conceiving.
- How long you want your eggs or sperm to be stored for (you can store them for a maximum of 55 years. You'll need to renew your consent to storage every 10 years)
- What should happen to your sperm or eggs if you were to die or become unable to make decisions for yourself
- Whether the eggs or sperm are to be used in your treatment only or whether they can be donated to someone else for treatment or training purposes
Should I freeze eggs or embryos?
Ultimately, the decision is yours. If you're a single individual preserving your fertility, freezing your eggs is the best option.
However, if you're in a committed relationship or have someone in you're life you'd like to co-parent with, we would recommend having embryos created and frozen. This is because embryos survive the thawing process better than eggs.
What happens when I want to use my eggs?
When you're ready to use your eggs they will be thawed and prepared for treatment.
Eggs that have been frozen must be fertilised using a procedure called ICSI (intracytoplasmic injection) where a single sperm is injected directly into the egg.
This is necessary because the freezing process makes the outer coating around the egg harder, and sperm may not be able to penetrate it using the conventional IVF method.
How safe is it?
The treatment you will undergo to collect your eggs for freezing is mostly very safe, however, some people do experience side effects from the hormone medication you must take.
Our fertility experts will monitor you closely to ensure it is as safe as possible for you.
Reviewed by Justin Chu, Medical Director at TFP Oxford Fertility.
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