EVERYTHING TO KNOW ABOUT FREEZING YOUR EGGS OR EMBRYOS

To freeze eggs or embryos—called cryopreservation—you’ll go through a process called controlled ovarian stimulation (COS), during which your body will be stimulated to produce multiple eggs. After the eggs are retrieved, they will either be frozen right away, or fertilized with sperm to create embryos before being frozen, in a process called in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

When you’re ready to become pregnant in the future, your eggs or embryos will be thawed. If you’ve frozen eggs, they will be fertilized in a lab with sperm from your male partner or donor before being transferred into your uterus. If you’ve frozen embryos, they will be transferred right away.

Side effects from medications used in ovarian stimulation cycles for freezing eggs may include:

• Nausea, mood swings, and fatigue
• Breast tenderness and increased vaginal discharge
• Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, a condition in which lots of follicles develop

Pelvic or abdominal pain can result from the egg retrieval procedure. Rarely, injury to organs near the ovaries or pelvic infection may also occur.

*This may not represent all side effects. Please discuss with your healthcare provider.

The success of IVF using frozen eggs and embryos depends on many factors, including:

• Your age and reproductive health at the time of cryopreservation
• The cryopreservation process your lab used
• How well the eggs or embryos survive the thawing process
• Variables during the IVF process, such as the quality of sperm used to fertilize the egg and the health of your uterus at transfer

It’s important to note that while the egg freezing process has seen many improvements over the past decade, pregnancy rates are still higher with frozen embryos than with frozen eggs.

Your first step is to make an appointment with a reproductive endocrinologist (RE). These specialists have special training in fertility preservation care to help maintain a person’s ability to have children.

An RE will help you understand your fertility potential, the possible risks of delayed childbearing, and the egg freezing process, including cycle risks and side effects. Creating a discussion guide before your appointment can help you organize your thoughts and remind you of the topics you want to discuss.

Find a doctor in your area to get started.