There are plenty of myths, stories and fake news surrounding freezing your eggs. Ultimately this is a difficult decision, that many people will consider or are already considering. Therefore, it is really important to be well informed prior to making the decision to freeze or not to freeze. 

QUESTION 1: What exactly is it & what happens?

This is the process by which a woman’s eggs are collected, and then frozen in order to be used at a later date. 

1. The process involves taking drugs to stimulate the ovaries to mature eggs, with this being done through hormone injections. 
2. Often, you will visit the fertility clinic multiple times in this week or two, to monitor the process. 
3. After this, the eggs are retrieved, which involves being sedated so that these eggs can be collected. 
4. These eggs are stored in the lab, and then thawed when or if you should choose to use them. 

Once thawed, the eggs will be fertilised with sperm, and the resultant embryo(s) will be transferred to a womb (this can be yours or a surrogate’s, depending on what you have decided is the best route for yourself). 

QUESTION 2: Why do people do this?

There are many reasons why one may freeze their eggs, however this is mostly to do with fertility. For example, if you have a low egg count, want to have children later on in life, or are unsure whether you even want children, or have recently been diagnosed with some types of cancer — then freezing your eggs can be a good option to increase the time you have to make these decisions. 

Find out your egg count / AMH levels, as well as other sex hormones influencing fertility, with ScreenMe’s Fertility Packages!

QUESTION 3: How long does it take?

This process on average takes 2-3 weeks once started. However, this is also dependent on your arrangements with your fertility clinic, and how long it takes for this to be sorted. If you are interested in freeing your eggs, we would recommend you investigating this sooner rather than later.

QUESTION 4: When is the best time to freeze my eggs? 

In general, the younger the egg is the more likely it is to be healthy. Therefore, it is often advised to freeze eggs sooner rather than later. 

That is NOT to say that if you choose to freeze your eggs later on in life, that they are going to be unhealthy! Many women freeze their eggs and go on to have successful pregnancies. 

As well as the physical element of when is best to freeze your eggs, it is also really important to consider whether this is the right decision for you mentally, financially and emotionally at this specific time. This may not be something that you can afford, or something that you wish to do at this stage in your life.

So, we at ScreenMe urge you to properly think through what is right for YOU — not what others think. Our experts are always here to guide and support you — you can book an online consultation here if you would like further advice. 

QUESTION 5: What are the side effects? 

There are two main parts to the egg freezing process that you need to consider: the hormone injections and the actual retrieval. 

1. Hormone injection:

• These can cause a range of side effects — and while they vary between individuals, some common ones include:
  • Bloating — as the ovaries swell to accommodate multiple follicles being stimulated simultaneously. 
  • Potential mood swings – as is the case whenever you introduce hormones in to your body, there is the potential for this to impact your mood.

• Very rarely women can develop OHSS (ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome). This is where ovaries develop too many eggs, causing them to become very large and painful. Roughly a third of women will develop mild OHSS, however severe OHSS is serious and can be fatal — so it is very important to watch for the symptoms which include:
  • Faintness
  • Short of breath
  • Nausea & severe vomiting
  • Severe stomach pains
  • Very swollen stomach
  • Limited urination
  • **If you experience or are experiencing these symptoms – please make sure to contact your GP, clinic, or a medical professional immediately.

2. Egg retrieval 

• The actual retrieval of the eggs should take around 10 minutes. 
• This involves mild sedation, and the doctor will guide a needle through the vagina to the follicle in the ovary which contains the egg. The egg(s) will then be retrieved. 
• So, while this is often seen to be the ‘scary’ part, it really is a very routine procedure! 

QUESTION 6: How much is egg freezing?

In the UK, according to the HFEA, the average costs are: 

• Collection & freezing = £3,350
• Storage = £125 – £350 per year 
• Thawing & transfer = £2,500 

There is funding available from the NHS for some individuals. This is only accessible to those whose medical condition or treatment is causing or is likely to cause permanent harmful effects to their sperm or egg production. 

QUESTION 7: How successful is egg freezing? 

Egg freezing is still quite a new and expanding field, so much of the data is rapidly changing and often small in sample size. We recommend speaking to your fertility clinic and requesting their most recent information on egg freezing, as this is likely to be the most accurate, particularly as egg freezing technology has improved dramatically over the last few years. 

QUESTION 8: How long can I store my eggs for?

Recent legislation has meant that you can now store your eggs for up to 55 years (when previously you could only store them for 10 years – keep an ear out for our upcoming podcast episode which includes the legalities of egg freezing & surrogacy) However, you must still review your consent every 10 years. 

Although many women use the eggs they have frozen in the following few years after freezing, eggs have been successfully fertilised that were frozen for 14 years! 

QUESTION 9: What are the common myths & misconceptions?

MYTH: That egg freezing means I must go through IVF 

REALITY: Many women who freeze their eggs get pregnant by themselves without using their eggs. There is no pressure to use these eggs/ they are not your only route to falling pregnant once you make the decision to freeze them. 

MYTH: That freezing my eggs means that I will have ‘none left’

REALITY: Of course, the quantity and quality of your eggs will vary according to a range of factors including: age, genetics, lifestyle, the list goes on… When freezing your eggs, your clinician will discuss with you your egg count, through observing your AMH levels. You will then be able to discuss the best option for you, once you receive these results. 

QUESTION 10: What support is there available for me? 

Egg freezing can be a difficult decision, and process to go through. There are a range of different ways in which you can access support with this, or any other fertility issues, concerns, or decisions you may be facing. 

1. Charitable organisations 

• There are many amazing fertility focused charities, whose sole focus is to help and support you through your fertility journey for free. 
• To name a few: 
  • The Fertility Foundation
  •  Fertility Network UK

2. NHS

• The NHS is there to support you — whether this be through your GP, a counselling service, or whatever medical help you may need. 

3. Us at ScreenMe

• Our mission is to empower women to understand their own bodies and take charge of their health — therefore fertility and associated decisions often play a large part in our work. 
• To speak to a fertility healthcare professional — book an online consultation with an expert, here.
• To test your sex hormones and understand how this impacts your fertility — take a look at our Fertility Packages here.
• Want to see how we have helped others achieve their fertility, health & wellness goals? 

Jessica Hobbis