Egg Freezing Process Explained | What You Need to Know About Fertility Preservation

Thinking about egg freezing? Learn how it works, success rates, costs, and when to start preserving your fertility.

Thinking about freezing your eggs? Whether you’re planning for the future or not ready to start a family just yet, egg freezing  is a powerful fertility preservation option. In this guide, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about how to freeze your eggs, how to freeze your eggs, and what factors to consider, including age, success rates, and costs.

What Is Egg Freezing and Why Do People Do It?

Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a fertility preservation technique that allows you to save your eggs for future use. It’s becoming an increasingly popular option for those who want to keep their options open when it comes to having children later in life – but does it guarantee you’ll have a baby? Let’s explore the facts.

People choose egg freezing for a variety of reasons, including:

• Planning to have children later in life
• Undergoing medical treatment that could affect fertility (e.g. chemotherapy)
• Personal or career goals
• Not having found the right partner yet

We explore this further in Who should consider fertility preservation? 

How does the Egg Freezing Process Work? 

Step 1: Hormone Stimulation

You’ll take fertility medications to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs in one cycle. During this time, you’ll attend regular scans and blood tests to monitor your response.

Step 2: Egg Collection (Egg Retrieval)

After ~10-14 days of stimulation, your eggs are collected in a short medical procedure under sedation. Once your eggs are ready, they’ll be collected via a minor surgical procedure under sedation. Most people recover within a day or two.

Step 3: Freezing and Storage (Cryopreservation)

Your eggs are frozen using a fast-freezing technique called vitrification, then stored safely in liquid nitrogen for potential use in the future.

Can Freezing Your Eggs Guarantee a Baby?

The short answer is no – freezing your eggs does not guarantee you’ll have a baby. It can increase your chances, especially if you freeze your eggs at a younger age, but several factors affect whether you’ll conceive and carry a baby successfully later in life.

One major factor is your age at the time of freezing. Younger eggs tend to be healthier and more likely to result in a successful pregnancy. Freezing eggs in your twenties or early thirties typically leads to better outcomes than doing so in your late thirties or forties.

Another key factor is the number of eggs you freeze. Not all eggs will survive the freezing and thawing process. Even if they do, not every egg will fertilise or become a healthy embryo.

Your overall reproductive health at the time you want to use the eggs also matters. This includes the health of your uterus, your hormone levels, and any underlying fertility issues that may have developed over time.

Success also depends on the quality of sperm used and the effectiveness of IVF when you’re ready to conceive. A partner’s or donor’s sperm must be healthy enough to fertilise the eggs, and the embryo must implant successfully in the uterus.

When Is the Best Age to Freeze Eggs?

If you’re asking, “When should I freeze my eggs?” the general recommendation from fertility experts is between you late 20s to mid 30s. During this window, egg quality and ovarian reserve are still relatively high, giving you the best chance of success later.

But this isn’t a one-size-fits-all decision. Everyone’s fertility journey is different. Some people may choose to free their eggs earlier or later depending on their health, family history, a medical condition that could affect fertility, or plans to undergo treatments like chemotherapy. Others may freeze their eggs later due to career, relationship, or financial considerations..

While it’s still possible to freeze your eggs after 35, it’s important to know that success rates may decline as egg quality and reserve begin to drop with age.

If you’re wondering when to start the process, the best first step is to book a fertility assessment. This typically includes hormone testing and an ultrasound to check your ovarian reserve. With this information, you can get a clearer picture of your fertility status and make an empowered decision about whether and when to freeze your eggs.

You may also want to understand how ageing can affect fertility rates in women.

How Many Eggs Should I Freeze to Have a Baby?

There’s no magic number, but we can estimate based on age and clinical data. Based on research from studies like Goldman et al. (2017) and Doyle et al. (2016), we can estimate the number of mature eggs typically needed to have about a 70% chance of achieving one full-term pregnancy. These numbers are estimates based on aiming for one baby, so if you’re hoping to grow a bigger family, freezing more eggs may be necessary to maximise your chances.

                                       

Note: These numbers aim for one full-term pregnancy. This estimation may vary depending on other factors. If the goal is more than one child, more eggs should be frozen.

What Are the Egg Freezing Success Rates?

If you’re thinking about freezing your eggs, one of the most important things to understand is your chance of having a baby later on. While there’s no guaranteed number of eggs that will result in a full-term pregnancy, we can give a reliable estimate based on several factors especially your age at the time of freezing.

Success with frozen eggs depends on four key steps: egg survival after thawing, fertilisation, embryo development, and successful implantation. Let’s break it down.

Age at the Time of Freezing Matters Most

Age is the single biggest factor influencing the quality and quantity of eggs. Younger eggs tend to be healthier and have a much higher chance of leading to a successful pregnancy.

How Well Do Eggs Survive Freezing and Thawing?

Thanks to modern vitrification techniques, between 90–95% of mature eggs survive the thawing process. That’s a big leap from older freezing methods and gives most people a strong starting point for treatment later on.

Fertilisation and Embryo Development Rates

Once thawed, about 70–80% of eggs fertilise successfully using intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which is the standard method for frozen eggs. From there, around 30–50% of fertilised eggs develop into blastocyst-stage embryos the stage that can be implanted into the womb. Of those embryos, roughly 60% of good-quality blastocysts successfully implant in younger women.

For the latest insights, read our research on egg freezing outcomes.

Can I Freeze My Eggs if I Have PCOS or Endometriosis?

Yes and in many cases, it’s strongly recommended as a proactive and empowering step in protecting their future fertility.

If you have PCOS (polycystic ovary syndrome), you may have a higher number of eggs, however,  the quality of those eggs may vary. There is also a risk of hormone response during stimulation can be unpredictable. With the right monitoring and a personalised treatment plan, many people with PCOS respond well to egg freezing. Your fertility team will tailor the medication to reduce the risk of complications like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which people with PCOS can be more prone to.

If you have endometriosis, egg quality and ovarian reserve may decline over time, especially if you’ve had surgery. In these cases, freezing eggs earlier in your journey can help preserve your future fertility.

Both PCOS and endometriosis come with unique fertility challenges, but neither automatically rules out egg freezing. In many cases, they’re actually reasons to consider it sooner rather than later. The key is working with a fertility team that understands your condition and can create a plan tailored to your body and long-term goals.

Does Family History Affect Fertility?

It’s a question many people ask: “My sister had trouble getting pregnant does that mean I will too?” While it’s true that genetics can influence fertility, your family history doesn’t tell the full story. Even identical twins can have very different fertility experiences.

Fertility is complex and shaped by a wide range of factors, including age, hormone levels, lifestyle, and underlying health conditions. So while things like early menopause, endometriosis, or PCOS may run in families, having a relative who struggled to conceive doesn’t automatically mean you’ll face the same challenges.

The only way to truly understand your own fertility potential is through testing. Measuring your Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) levels can give insight into your ovarian reserve, and an internal scan can assess your antral follicle count and reproductive anatomy. Together, these tests provide a clearer picture of where you stand regardless of your family’s fertility history.

Is Egg Freezing Painful?

One of the most common questions about egg freezing is whether it’s painful and the good news is, most people are pleasantly surprised by how manageable the process actually is.

The hormone injections can feel a little intimidating at first, especially if you’ve never self-injected before. But the needles are small, and most people get the hang of it quickly with a little practice and support from their clinic.

When it comes to the egg collection itself, the procedure is done under conscious sedation, so you’ll be relaxed and pain-free throughout. The whole process usually takes around 15 to 20 minutes. Afterward, it’s normal to feel a bit crampy or bloated, similar to period pain, but this typically eases within a day or two.

Most people choose to take the day off on the day of egg collection, but many are back to work or their usual routine by the next day. While everyone’s experience is different, the process is generally well tolerated and the short-term discomfort is often outweighed by the long-term benefits of preserving your fertility.

What Are the Risks of Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing is generally considered a low-risk procedure, but like any medical treatment, it does come with some potential side effects. Most people experience mild, temporary symptoms such as bloating, abdominal discomfort, or mood changes from the hormone medications used during the stimulation phase. These are usually short-lived and resolve once the cycle is complete.

In rare cases, a condition called ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) can occur, where the ovaries over-respond to the medication. Very rarely, there’s also a small risk of infection or bleeding during the egg retrieval itself. That said, your fertility team will monitor you closely at every stage and adjust your treatment to minimise any risks. You’ll be supported and guided throughout the process to ensure your safety and comfort.

And if you’re wondering whether egg freezing could “use up” your eggs or bring on early menopause the answer is no. The eggs collected during your cycle are ones your body would have naturally lost that month. The process simply gives them another chance, preserving them for future use rather than letting them go to waste.

How Long Can Eggs Be Stored in Ireland?

One of the great advantages of egg freezing is that once your eggs are frozen, they’re essentially paused in time. Thanks to a technique called vitrification a fast-freezing method that prevents ice crystals from forming, your eggs don’t age or degrade while in storage. They stay exactly as they were at the moment they were frozen, meaning the biological quality of the egg is preserved, even as you grow older.

In Ireland, frozen eggs can legally be stored for up to 10 years. In some cases, this storage period can be extended depending on your medical or personal circumstances. This gives you flexibility and peace of mind, knowing your eggs are safely stored until you’re ready to use them.

How Much Does Egg Freezing Cost in Ireland? Is it worth it?

Egg freezing is a significant decision, both emotionally and financially. The cost can vary depending on your clinic, your individual treatment plan, and how your body responds to medication.

In Ireland, the price of one egg freezing cycle typically starts around €2,295. On top of that, you’ll need to factor in the cost of hormone medications, which can vary, as well as ongoing storage fees—usually around €450 per year to keep your eggs safely frozen.

While it’s certainly an investment, many people see egg freezing as a way to buy time and preserve future options. Whether you’re not quite ready to start a family due to personal goals, career plans, or a medical diagnosis, freezing your eggs can offer peace of mind and a sense of control over your reproductive timeline.

Ultimately, whether it’s “worth it” depends on your circumstances and what fertility means to you. A consultation with our fertility specialists can help you weigh the benefits, costs, and timing to see if egg freezing is the right choice for your future.

At Hertility, we offer tailored egg freezing pathways. Learn more here.

Final Thoughts: Is Egg Freezing Right for You?

Egg freezing isn’t about putting your life on hold—it’s about creating space. Space to focus on your goals, protect your health, or simply give yourself more options for the future. It’s not the right decision for everyone, and that’s okay.

Not sure where to start? Find out how women can check their fertility with our At-home Hormone & Fertility Test  measures these key hormones and delivers personalised, doctor-reviewed insights to help you understand your fertility and plan your next steps with confidence.

For a deeper dive into real experiences, check out our personal egg freezing stories.

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I freeze my eggs?

The best time to freeze your eggs is in your early to mid-30s, when egg quantity and quality are typically at their peak. That said, it’s still possible to freeze your eggs later, what’s right for you will depend on your personal circumstances and hormone levels. The earlier you freeze, the higher the chances of success in the future.

How long does the egg freezing process take?

From initial consultation to egg collection, the egg freezing process typically takes around 2–3 weeks. This includes a few days of hormone stimulation, regular scans, and finally, the egg retrieval procedure, which is done under sedation.

Does egg freezing affect future fertility?

No, egg freezing does not reduce your ability to get pregnant naturally in the future. Only a small portion of your eggs are collected during the process, so it doesn’t deplete your overall ovarian reserve.

You can find answers to some of the most frequently asked questions about egg freezing from our community here.