Everything you need to know about egg freezing

Includes the following steps:
1. Fertility assessment (usually includes bloodwork and transvaginal ultrasound and is performed at a fertility doctor's office)
2. Preparation (including information on medications and lifestyle changes)
3. Stimulation (10-12 days of medication injections to stimulate the growth of follicles, future eggs)
4. Egg retrieval (15-minute simple surgical procedure performed under anesthesia)
5. Recovery (up to 7 days without intercourse and extensive exercising)

The whole process, or one cycle, takes around about 2.5 weeks to complete.
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The overall recommendation is that the earlier, the better, and most doctors agree that the best age to freeze eggs is before 35 years old. Your most reproductive age is in your mid-20s, and the largest decrease in the number and quality of eggs (probability that egg will result in a healthy baby) happens after 35. It's important to understand that each case is individual, and for some women, the decline may happen sooner than for others.

The cost of egg freezing without insurance can be anywhere from $6,000 to $30,000.
The cost of egg freezing with insurance depends on your coverage, and you should reach out to your insurance company to learn what is covered, if anything.

The price for one cycle (procedure) consists of 3 main elements:
1. Services billed by the clinic
2. Medication
3. Annual storage.

The price of the clinic is the major part of the cost ($2,500 to $18,000), and it varies a lot from clinic to clinic. Learn more about different elements of egg freezing cost or check the prices of fertility clinics near you.

As with all medical procedures, egg freezing can have rare complications. The main risk during egg freezing is overstimulation of your ovaries - OHSS. Medium to severe OHSS happens in less than 1% of stimulation cycles, and doctors monitor your reaction closely to make sure you don't get OHSS. Symptoms include shortness of breath, gastric reflux, pain and vomiting. OHSS may improve on its own in mild cases; if it doesn't improve on its own, there is a way of treating that your doctor will recommend.

Most people feel good after the procedure, and severe symptoms are very rare. The most common side effects are fatigue and bloating during medication stimulation; some women feel very emotional during or after the egg-freezing process.

Before you decide on egg freezing, it is recommended to start with a fertility assessment. Knowing your baseline fertility will help you create a plan for your future family goals.
It will be tested by:
• bloodwork
• ultrasound
✔️ It is covered by most health insurance plans.
Request a fertility assessment at the best clinic in your area.