Should I freeze my eggs? Fertility is a precious resource, limited to just a few years. A woman is most fertile from about age 18 to 29. Over age 30, her fertility progressively declines, and this decline accelerates in her late 30s and early 40s. In fact, spontaneous conception—without the help of assisted reproductive technology—is quite rare over age 43.

When should I freeze my eggs?

When deciding the right age to freeze your eggs, it's important to consider factors such as your relationship status, education and career plans along with the age-related decline in fertility rates.

In your 20s. A large number of high quality eggs are found in a woman's mid-20s. A 25-year-old produces an average of about 6 healthy embryos per cycle.

In your 30s. Women in their early- to mid-30s produce progressively fewer healthy embryos. Between ages 30–35, women produce an average of 3 healthy embryos. Between ages 38–40, they produce 1 healthy embryo on average.

In your 40s. At this age, less than one healthy embryo is found per cycle.

How do I prepare for egg freezing?

If you've decided to freeze your eggs, the first step in the process is a consultation with one of Pacific Fertility Center's physicians—who are all board certified in reproductive endocrinology and infertility.

Tests. To assess reproductive potential, your physician will use fertility tests such as an antral follicle count (AFC) and a blood test for anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH). These tests help determine how many eggs remain (the ovarian reserve) in the ovaries' small sacs (follicles). The quality of those eggs is not measured; age is a better predictor of egg quality.

What is the process?

Fertility medications. The first step in the egg-freezing process is to generate multiple eggs for retrieval. Your physician will prescribe fertility medications to stimulate follicle growth and produce multiple eggs. Using a very fine needle, you inject these medications just beneath the skin.

Ultrasound monitoring and lab tests. A physician will monitor you on a regular basis to assess follicle growth and the number of eggs being produced. When follicles are mature and ready for retrieval, you stop taking the fertility medication, and take an ovulation trigger, a hormone that brings on the final phase of egg maturation. Egg retrieval is scheduled 36 hours after the trigger.

Egg retrieval procedure. During this painless and relatively brief procedure (10-15 minutes), your doctor uses ultrasound guidance to gently retrieve eggs from the ovarian follicles. You will be under sedation and in the care of an anesthesiologist throughout the procedure. After the retrieval, you should take it easy the rest of the day. It is required someone drive you home after the retrieval as you are not able to drive yourself due to the sedation medication. You may resume normal activity the following day.

Egg preservation. The retrieved eggs are preserved through a rapid freezing process called vitrification. Eggs remain frozen until you need them.