Egg Freezing: Process, Cost, and the Right Age to Freeze

Whether you’re focused on advancing your career, waiting to find the right partner, managing a health condition, or simply not ready to be a parent yet, egg freezing gives you the chance to start a family on your terms.

Once considered experimental, this procedure—which is also known as oocyte cryopreservation—has become an increasingly common way for women to preserve their fertility.

In this article, we’ll walk you through each step of the freezing process (as well as the science behind the procedure) so you can decide whether it’s right for you.

Egg freezing is what it sounds like: a medical procedure that involves freezing your eggs to use for pregnancy at a later date.

During the egg freezing process, your doctor will harvest eggs from your ovaries, freeze them using a rapid-cooling process called vitrification, and store them cryogenically.

When you’re ready to conceive, your fertility clinic will thaw out the eggs, fertilize them with sperm in a lab to create embryos, and then transfer them into your uterus through in vitro fertilization (IVF).  1

Why do people freeze their eggs?

Originally, egg freezing was developed for women whose fertility was at risk. For instance, women who are about to undergo cancer treatments like chemotherapy or radiation (which can make it harder or impossible to conceive naturally) often opt to freeze their eggs. 1

However, many women now freeze their eggs for non-medical reasons, usually if they aren’t ready to become parents yet. This, in turn, can be due to:

• Wanting to prioritize career advancement
• Financial instability
• Feeling too young
• Not having a stable partner
• Just not feeling emotionally ready yet

Egg freezing is also an option for transgender individuals who want to preserve their eggs before they start treatments that may affect their future fertility.

Before you decide to freeze your eggs, you should run your plans by your doctor to see if this is the best path for you.

Various factors affect whether egg freezing is likely to be worthwhile, but by far the most significant is your age.

The best time to freeze your eggs is when you’re in your late teens or early twenties, when the quality and quantity of your eggs are highest. As you age, your number of eggs starts to decline (especially after the age of 37), and your remaining eggs become more likely to have chromosomal abnormalities. 1

While it is possible to freeze your eggs when you’re older, you may need more “cycles” (rounds of the procedure) to retrieve a sufficient number of healthy eggs.

Let’s take a look at what you can expect from the egg freezing process:

1. Consultation and fertility testing

First off, you’ll need to book an initial consultation and fertility evaluation with your doctor. They’ll use this to assess your reproductive health and determine whether egg freezing is right for you.

During this evaluation, your doctor will: 2

1. Review your medical history: Your doctor will go over your menstrual history, past pregnancies (if you had any), family history, and any existing medical conditions you have.
2. Perform hormonal blood tests: These tests measure key hormones that relate to your ovarian function. The most common tests are the anti-müllerian hormone (AMH) test, which assesses how many eggs you have, and the follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) test, which evaluates how well your ovaries function in general.
3. Perform a transvaginal ultrasound: Your doctor will use an ultrasound to perform an antral follicle count (AFC). They’ll count the small, visible follicles in your ovaries to estimate your ovarian reserve. Your doctor may also use this scan to check for issues like cysts or fibroids.

2. Ovarian stimulation and monitoring

If your doctor gives you the go-ahead, the next step is to stimulate your ovaries to release eggs (ovarian stimulation).

In a natural menstrual cycle, your body typically matures and releases just one egg (during ovulation). With egg freezing, your doctor will give you medications that cause your body to mature multiple eggs simultaneously.

The process involves:

• Hormone injections: For 10–12 days, you’ll self-administer daily hormone injections. 1 These medications, called gonadotropins, contain follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and sometimes luteinizing hormone (LH). They cause your ovaries to develop multiple follicles at once.
• Regular monitoring: You’ll visit the fertility clinic every few days for monitoring appointments. Your doctor will use these visits to track your progress and make sure your eggs are developing normally. They’ll perform blood tests to check your hormone levels and around 4–6 transvaginal ultrasounds to measure the growth and number of developing follicles in your ovaries. 1
• Medication dosage adjustments: Based on your monitoring results, your doctor may adjust your medication doses to optimize your body’s response and reduce your risk of complications. As your ovaries enlarge, your doctor will probably advise you to avoid high-impact exercise and other strenuous activities.

3. The trigger shot

Once your ultrasounds and bloodwork show that your follicles have reached the right size (about 20 mm), you will administer a final hormone injection known as the “trigger shot.” 3

This shot, which is usually human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) or a hormone medication called Lupron, will help the eggs finish maturing within your ovarian follicles.

Once you get the shot, your doctor will schedule your egg retrieval procedure 36–38 hours later, just before you would naturally ovulate. 4

4. Egg retrieval

Now comes the big day; the egg retrieval procedure. Since it’s a minimally invasive procedure, you may be sedated or under local anesthesia.

Here’s what you can expect during the retrieval procedure, which will take place at your fertility clinic.

• Your doctor will visualize your ovaries with a transvaginal ultrasound probe. They’ll attach a thin needle to the probe, which they’ll carefully guide through your vaginal wall and into each mature follicle.
• Your doctor will aspirate and collect the fluid from each follicle (which contains the egg) in a test tube.

The entire procedure is very quick, usually lasting just 15 to 30 minutes. Afterward, you’ll rest in a recovery area for a short time. Your doctor will be able to tell you how many eggs they successfully retrieved.

How many egg freezing cycles will you need?

On average, most women go through about two cycles to store an adequate number of eggs.

However, the number of cycles you’ll need to go through depends on your age and your ovarian reserve. Younger women with a high egg count may reach their target number in a single cycle. However, many women need more than one round.

Step 5: Vitrification and storage

Right after the egg retrieval, your doctor will take the collected follicular fluid to the embryology lab. An embryologist will examine the fluid under a microscope to identify all of the mature eggs.

Within a few hours, they’ll freeze these mature eggs using a technique called vitrification. This ultra-rapid cooling process uses liquid nitrogen to flash-freeze eggs, preventing the formation of damaging ice crystals.

Once frozen, the embryology team will securely store the eggs in a cryogenic facility for future use.

How long can your eggs be stored for?

From a scientific standpoint, vitrified eggs can be stored indefinitely without degrading in quality.

While egg freezing is still relatively new, some women have given birth to embryos that have been frozen for more than a decade. In fact, in 2025, a baby was born from an embryo that was frozen over 30 years ago. Scientists believe that frozen eggs are no different.

Most people take the day of the procedure off and may need another day or two to feel fully back to normal.

In the 24 hours following the retrieval, you may experience side effects, such as: 1

• Cramping
• Bloating
• Mild pain

Over-the-counter pain relievers and home remedies like heating pads are usually enough to manage these side effects. Your doctor will also give you tailored instructions for how to look after yourself following the egg retrieval procedure.

While serious complications are rare, get in touch with your doctor immediately if you experience severe abdominal pain, heavy vaginal bleeding, fever, or you feel faint or lightheaded.

While the egg freezing process is generally safe, there are potential risks and side effects.

In addition to the post-retrieval symptoms listed above, the injections used for ovarian stimulation can cause temporary side effects as your hormone levels fluctuate, such as: 1

• Mood swings or irritability
• Hot flashes
• Headaches
• Nausea

Fortunately, most of these side effects aren’t anything to worry about, though you should let your doctor know if they get worse.

What to know about ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)

Although complications from the egg freezing process are rare, you should be aware of a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS).

This occurs when your ovaries have an excessive response to the fertility medications during the stimulation phase, which causes them to become swollen and painful. 5

In mild cases, OHSS can cause abdominal swelling, nausea, and weight gain. Severe OHSS is very rare but can lead to more serious complications.

You’re more likely to be at risk of OHSS if: 5

• You suffer from polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• You previously had OHSS
• You’re under 30 years old

Your doctor will keep an eye on you throughout the stimulation phase to minimize this risk.

Are there risks for babies born from frozen eggs?

While you are at (minor) risk of complications from egg freezing, the same won’t be true for any babies you have. There’s no evidence that babies conceived from frozen eggs are more at risk of birth defects or pregnancy complications than those conceived from fresh eggs.

Unfortunately, the cost of freezing your eggs is quite high. You can expect to pay about $16,000 for one cycle of egg freezing on average. This should include: 6

• All monitoring appointments (ultrasounds and bloodwork)
• Physician and clinic fees
• Fertility medication
• The egg retrieval procedure itself, including anesthesia
• The initial vitrification (freezing) of the eggs

However, keep in mind that this won’t include the fee to store the eggs. You’ll need to pay an annual fee to the cryogenic facility, which may charge between $500 and $1,000 per year. 6

You’ll also need to pay to have the eggs thawed, fertilized via IVF, and transferred into your uterus once you’re ready to get pregnant.

Will your insurance cover egg freezing?

Unfortunately, insurance coverage for fertility treatments, including egg freezing, isn’t guaranteed.

As of writing, 22 states in the US obligate insurance companies to cover the costs of fertility treatments. 7 However, the specifics of these laws vary. Check out RESOLVE’s overview of insurance coverage by state to see what’s covered in your location.

You should also reach out to your insurer directly to see what’s included in your policy.

Freezing your eggs is not a guarantee of having a successful pregnancy, but it can increase your chances if you’re concerned about your fertility declining further down the line.

For a frozen egg to result in a live birth, it must:

1. Survive the thaw: First off, your egg needs to survive the thawing process. Fortunately, modern freezing techniques like vitrification have made the process very reliable, with eggs having about a 95% chance of surviving. 8
2. Fertilize successfully: Once your fertility clinic thaws your egg, it’ll need to be successfully fertilized by sperm in the lab. Most clinics report a fertilization success rate of about 66%. 9
3. Develop into a viable embryo: After fertilization, the egg (now called a zygote) needs to develop into a healthy embryo that’s suitable for your doctor to transfer.
4. Implant in the uterus: Finally, the embryo must successfully implant in your uterine lining and continue to develop normally. According to one study, around 82.9% of embryo transfers are successful. 10

Success rates by age and number of eggs

By far the most important factor for your chances of pregnancy success with frozen eggs is how old you were when you froze them.

The younger you are, the higher the quality of your eggs and the better your chances of a future pregnancy will be. One report found that 70% of women who froze their eggs when they were under 38 years old (and thawed at least 20 eggs) went on to have successful pregnancies. 11

The number of eggs you freeze also has a big impact; more eggs mean more opportunities for a successful outcome.

Because of this, your doctor will recommend a target number of eggs to freeze based on your age.

Freezing your eggs is a great way to preserve your fertility and get pregnant on your own terms. Thanks to advancements in egg freezing, you’ve got a higher chance than ever before of successfully conceiving.

However, before you decide to freeze your eggs, you’ll need to run your plans by your doctor, get a thorough medical examination, and consider the financial implications. Good luck!