Egg freezing

Need to know

• What happens icon plus

  You may need to have one or more stimulation cycles to produce eggs. We recommend you aim to have at least 20 eggs in storage. You may need to have hormone injections to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple follicles (each follicle potentially containing an egg), for a couple of weeks. You'll have several scans and blood tests to monitor the number and size of your follicles. This helps us to work out when to collect your eggs. You will be given a 'trigger injection' to mature the eggs before we collect them. The eggs will be collected using a minor vaginal procedure performed under general anaesthetic (so you'll be asleep).

• How to prepare icon plus

  Your consultant will explain the procedure to you and if there are any risks and side effects involved. To maximise the chances of conception, you may need to have several stimulation cycles. We offer egg freezing packages for those considering more than one stimulation cycle. As you're having general anaesthetic, your consultant will let you know how long you should avoid eating and drinking for.

• Afterwards icon plus

  After your eggs are collected, the cells around them are stripped away to identify which eggs are mature. These mature eggs are then cryopreserved (frozen) using a process called vitrification. Legally, eggs can be stored for any period up to 10 years. You will be sent an annual letter confirming that you want to continue to keep them stored. If you or your partner are prematurely infertile or likely to become prematurely infertile, you may be able to store eggs for longer — up to 55 years — if a medical practitioner certifies this as true. When needed, your eggs can be thawed and fertilised using micromanipulation techniques (ICSI).