What Is Egg Freezing
Understanding the process of preserving your fertility for the future
Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, is a process that preserves a woman's eggs to allow her to have children later in life. This page explains the step-by-step process of egg freezing.
The Egg Freezing Process
Initial Consultation
Your journey begins with a comprehensive consultation with a fertility specialist. During this appointment:
- You'll discuss your medical history and reproductive goals
- Undergo baseline fertility testing (blood tests and ultrasound)
- Learn about the egg freezing process, success rates, and costs
- Develop a personalized treatment plan
Timeline: 1-2 weeks for consultation and testing
Ovarian Stimulation
Normally, your ovaries release one egg per month. For egg freezing, you'll take hormone medications to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs:
- Daily hormone injections (typically self-administered)
- Regular monitoring via ultrasound and blood tests (every 2-3 days)
- Medication adjustments based on your response
- Trigger shot to finalize egg maturation when follicles reach optimal size
Timeline: 8-12 days of injections
Egg Retrieval
Approximately 36 hours after the trigger shot, you'll undergo the egg retrieval procedure:
- Performed under light sedation or anesthesia
- Transvaginal ultrasound-guided procedure
- A thin needle is passed through the vaginal wall to access the ovaries
- Fluid containing eggs is aspirated from each follicle
- Typically takes 15-20 minutes
Timeline: 1 day for procedure, 1-2 days for recovery
Freezing and Storage
Once retrieved, your eggs are prepared for freezing:
- Mature eggs are identified in the laboratory
- Vitrification (flash-freezing) is used to prevent ice crystal formation
- Frozen eggs are stored in liquid nitrogen at -196°C
- Eggs can remain frozen indefinitely
Timeline: Same day as retrieval for freezing, storage for as long as needed
Future Use
When you're ready to use your frozen eggs:
- Eggs are thawed using a careful warming protocol
- Each egg is fertilized with sperm using ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection)
- Resulting embryos are cultured for 3-5 days
- One or more embryos are transferred to the uterus
- Remaining embryos can be frozen for future use
Timeline: 2-3 weeks from thaw to embryo transfer
Egg Freezing vs. Natural Conception
Natural Conception
- One egg released per month
- Egg quality declines with age
- Fertility peaks in late 20s
- Sharp decline after age 35
- Conception must occur within 24 hours of ovulation
Egg Freezing
- Multiple eggs retrieved in one cycle
- Eggs preserved at the age of freezing
- Optimal freezing age: late 20s to early 30s
- Can extend fertility timeline
- Provides more control over family planning
Success Rates by Age
The success of egg freezing depends largely on your age at the time of freezing. Here's what you can expect based on current data:
Under 35
Approximately 80% of frozen eggs survive the thaw process, with a 70-80% fertilization rate. Each mature egg has about a 5-8% chance of resulting in a live birth.
Ages 35-37
Success rates begin to decline. Each egg has about a 4-6% chance of resulting in a live birth. More eggs may be needed to achieve pregnancy.
Ages 38-40
Success rates decline more significantly. Each egg has about a 2-4% chance of resulting in a live birth. Multiple cycles may be recommended.
Over 40
Success rates are lower. Each egg has about a 1-2% chance of resulting in a live birth. Multiple cycles are often necessary.
Note: These are general statistics. Individual results may vary based on personal health factors, clinic expertise, and technological advancements. Consult with a fertility specialist for personalized success rate estimates.