"Egg freezing" sounds like buying an insurance policy for your future, but do you really understand it? Egg freezing (also known as oocyte cryopreservation) is the process of retrieving mature eggs and storing them at -196°C using vitrification technology, to be thawed, fertilised and transferred later when you are ready to start a family.

Who should consider egg freezing?

• Women who are not yet planning a pregnancy for career, relationship or health reasons but wish to preserve their fertility;
• Patients about to undergo chemotherapy or pelvic radiotherapy (fertility preservation);
• Women at risk of premature ovarian decline.

Age is the single most important factor

Egg quality declines with age, and the success rate of egg freezing is closely linked to the age at which the eggs are frozen: the younger you are when your eggs are frozen, the higher the future live birth rate. As a general rule, freezing eggs before the age of 35 gives the best results, while success rates drop markedly after 38. What egg freezing "preserves" is the quality of your eggs at the moment of retrieval — not the state of your body.

An overview of the process

1. Ovarian function assessment (AMH testing and ultrasound scan);
2. Ovarian stimulation treatment (approximately 10 to 14 days of injections);
3. Ultrasound and blood monitoring;
4. Transvaginal egg retrieval under anaesthesia;
5. Laboratory freezing and storage.

A balanced perspective

Egg freezing is not a "guarantee of fertility" — it is an option that improves your future chances. It involves costs, treatment discomfort and the management of expectations. Before making a decision, we recommend a detailed consultation with a reproductive medicine specialist to assess your ovarian reserve and realistic success probabilities, so you can make the choice that is right for you.