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Egg Freezing

Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a process where a woman’s eggs are retrieved, frozen, and stored for future use. This procedure provides women with the option to preserve their fertility for later use, whether for personal or medical reasons.

Lab technician pouring liquid nitrogen into a container

What is Egg Freezing

Egg freezing is an ideal choice for women who wish to delay childbearing due to personal, professional, or medical reasons. It allows some women to maintain their fertility potential with their own eggs, offering peace of mind and flexibility when it comes to starting a family.

The Process

The Egg Freezing Process

Consultation and Assessment

During your initial consultation, Dr. Knight will assess your overall health and reproductive health. This may include blood tests, ultrasound scans, and a discussion of your goals and the best timing for the procedure.

Ovarian Stimulation

Hormone stimulating medications stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs in one cycle. This process typically takes 10-14 days and requires daily injections. During this phase, Dr. Knight and her team will closely monitor your progress with ultrasounds and sometimes blood tests.

Egg Retrieval

Once ultrasounds show your ovaries have responded to the hormone injections, your eggs are retrieved through a minor surgical procedure performed under sedation. The procedure involves passing a thin needle, under ultrasound guidance, through the top of the vaginal wall into the ovaries to retrieve the eggs.

Freezing and Storage

The collected eggs are immediately frozen and stored in a secure, state-of-the-art facility. Your eggs can be stored for up to 10 years or until you’re ready to use them.

Benefits of Egg Freezing

  • Preserve Your Fertility: Egg freezing gives you the ability to preserve some fertility at a younger age, giving you more flexibility in your family planning decisions.
  • Medical and Lifestyle Flexibility: Egg freezing is a valuable option for women facing health conditions that may affect their fertility (e.g., cancer treatment) or those who prefer to focus on career or personal development before starting a family.
  • Improved Outcomes for Future Use: When you’re ready to start a family, you can use your frozen eggs to undergo IVF treatment, which often leads to higher success rates when using younger eggs.

Who is a Good Candidate for Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing can be an empowering option for women who want to preserve their fertility for future use. While each individual’s circumstances are unique, there are several factors that can help determine if egg freezing is the right choice. Below are some key considerations:

  • Women with Medical Conditions or Treatments Affecting Fertility: Women with medical conditions who are undergoing treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation that may impact their fertility often opt for egg freezing before starting treatment. Freezing eggs prior to these procedures allows women to preserve their fertility and have the option of biological children in the future.
  • Women Who Want to Delay Childbearing: Many women choose to freeze their eggs if they want to prioritise career, education goals or financial stability before starting a family. Egg freezing allows them to have some control of their fertility and plan for motherhood at a later time.
  • Women in Their 20s to Early 30s: Egg freezing is most effective when eggs are frozen at a younger age, typically in the late 20s to early 30s, when egg quality and quantity are at their peak. Freezing eggs earlier increases the chances of successful future use, as egg quality declines with age.
  • Women with a Family History of Early Menopause: Women who have a family history of early menopause may choose to freeze their eggs earlier, as they may experience a decline in fertility sooner than average. Egg freezing can be an option to preserve their fertility before it begins to decline.
  • Women Who Want to Preserve Fertility for Personal or Social Reasons: Some women may not have a partner or may not feel ready to have children, but they want to keep their fertility options open. Egg freezing provides them with the flexibility to decide on attempting parenthood in the future, when the timing is right for them.
  • Women Who Have Not Found a Suitable Partner: Many women choose egg freezing because they have not yet found a suitable partner and want to preserve their fertility while they are still at an optimal reproductive age.

Price and costing

Fertility treatments can involve a range of costs depending on your unique needs and the services provided. To help you plan, we’ve provided detailed pricing guides with all the information you need to explore your options.

FAQs

While egg freezing is an effective and empowering fertility preservation option, many women have questions and concerns about the process. Here are some of the most common concerns, along with reassuring information to help you make an informed decision.

Suellen Peak Senior Fertility Counsellor sitting down on a chair counselling a client

A Holistic Approach to Fertility Care

Dr. Knight understands that egg freezing can be an emotional journey. Her approach is designed to provide you with not only the medical expertise you need but also the emotional support to guide you through every step of the process. We offer access to counseling, support groups, and resources to help manage the mental and emotional aspects of the procedure.

Next Steps: Book a Consultation

If you’re interested in learning more about egg freezing and whether it’s right for you, we invite you to schedule a consultation with Dr. Rachael Knight. During the consultation, we’ll discuss your health, goals, perform a fertility assessment and discuss the egg freezing process in detail.