Safeguard your future fertility with egg freezing.

Egg freezing can cost up to $30,000+, but the average cost is around $11,000, with the typical range being $8,000 to $15,000 per cycle (if you pay out-of-pocket). Keep in mind storage fees will cost you anywhere from $500 to $1,000 annually.

Egg freezing costs depend on a few different factors, including:

• Your location – certain cities (like New York) are more expensive than others (like Boston and San Francisco)
• Your age – those over 37 need more cycles of egg freezing to garner the same number of viable eggs as healthy, younger women
• Your health – costs may be lower if you’re freezing eggs due to a medical condition (i.e. cancer, endometriosis or a family history of early menopause)
• The clinic you choose – prices vary between fertility practices
• Your insurance – each company has a different policy, so check yours carefully

The egg freezing process involves a few different stages, and the level of discomfort can vary for each person and each stage:

1. Hormone Injections: During the ovarian stimulation phase, you'll need to self-administer daily hormone injections. Some people experience mild discomfort or stinging at the injection site, but this is usually manageable.
2. Monitoring: You'll undergo regular ultrasounds and blood tests at your clinic to monitor your progress. These procedures are generally painless, although some women might experience light pressure or mild discomfort from the transvaginal ultrasound probe.
3. Egg Retrieval: This is a minor surgical procedure performed under sedation or anesthesia, so you shouldn't feel any pain during the process itself. However, you might experience some mild cramping or bloating afterward, similar to menstrual cramps.

Overall, while egg freezing isn't entirely pain-free, most women find the discomfort to be manageable. Your Care Team will provide guidance on managing any potential side effects and ensure you're as comfortable as possible throughout the process.

If you're particularly sensitive to pain or have any concerns, don't hesitate to discuss them with your doctor. They can offer pain management strategies and address any anxieties you may have.

Because just one egg matures with each monthly cycle, the process begins with you taking fertility medications (including injections) to encourage your ovaries to release more than one egg at a time. This is called ovarian stimulation and can help your body make more mature eggs that will be ready to be fertilized per month.

During egg retrieval, you will be sedated as your physician uses a special transvaginal ultrasound probe equipped with a needle guide into each ovary to harvest (remove) your eggs. This is a same day, 15-20 minute procedure. Your eggs will then be frozen using a rapid freezing method called vitrification. These frozen eggs can then be thawed when you decide to you are ready to grow your family. When that time comes, your eggs will be mixed with sperm to create embryos and then transferred into your uterus.

Your eggs will be evaluated and cryopreserved by a highly-trained embryologist on the same day as your egg retrieval procedure. 

Those eggs will then be stored in Illume Fertility's secure, state-of-the-art cryopreservation facility, safeguarded by 24/7 monitoring and advanced technology.

Egg freezing doesn’t require sperm, but embryo freezing does. Eggs are frozen unfertilized and can be stored for use at a later date. This is a great option for single women, women in the process of finding a sperm donor, or women who aren’t sure if their current partner is the co-parent they are looking for.

Since eggs can be frozen without needing to be fertilized first, this gives women more control over their reproductive optionsl. One of the benefits of freezing eggs is that it can be done with or without a partner.

The main difference between an egg and an embryo is that an embryo is only created after the egg is fertilized by sperm, while an egg is simply retrieved from the woman’s ovary and frozen prior to fertilization.

Currently, there is no known limit to the amount of time cryopreserved eggs can be stored. They can then be thawed when you decide you are ready to try to start a family.

It’s hard to provide an answer about the ideal number of eggs to freeze because every case needs to be personalized to the individual patient. However, your potential for success does correlate with your age, which is why we encourage patients to consider freezing their eggs before age 32. 

While egg quality is more important than egg quantity, you should also understand attrition rates. Put simply, attrition means that the amount of eggs retrieved won’t be equal to the number of mature, healthy eggs (and eventually embryos) that you end up with. The attrition rate from a cryopreserved egg to a high-quality embryo is significant. 

Ideally, we like to have a minimum of ten eggs stored to give you the best chance of having at least one child in the future. Always talk to your doctor for personalized guidance and more information. 

The answer will depend on a few factors:

• Your age
• Your desired family size
• Your baseline ovarian reserve
• Your body's response to ovarian stimulation

Many egg freezing patients undergo more than one cycle in order to retrieve the amount of eggs that gives them the best chance at a successful future pregnancy. In short, the more eggs you freeze, the better your odds are.

In addition to your age, low ovarian reserve, smoking, poor ovarian response to stimulant medications, low egg quality, your genetics, and any existing disorders or diseases can impact success with egg freezing. Keep in mind, every body is different! Your fertility specialist will help you understand your personal chances of success. 

Unfortunately, the answer is yes - age does impact fertility potential. Watch Nurse Practitioner Monica Moore break down the various ways age affects cellular structures within the body, and how these shifts over time can reduce your chances of a healthy baby.