What an expert really wants you to know about egg freezing.

Thanks to our brand partner, IVFAustralia

Halsey, Olivia Culpo and Ariana Madix are all 30-something celebrities who've spoken openly about the decision to freeze their eggs. And they're not the only ones doing it. 

A recent local study confirmed there's been a 1500 per cent increase in Australian and New Zealand women undergoing egg freezing over the past decade.

IVFAustralia Fertility Specialist Dr Kath Whitton agreed that egg freezing, which refers to "removing eggs from a woman's ovaries and preserving them to use at a later date", is firmly on the rise.

"There's less stigma around it and we're talking about it more too," said the Sydney-based fertility specialist. 

We're currently in a movement where women are openly discussing the huge uncertainty they face when deciding whether or not they want to have children. The environmental and personal factors women consider vary — but some are as simple as loving the life they have now.

With the average age of new Australian mothers rising into the 30s, Dr Whitton said egg freezing offers an "option for women who know that they want to have kids in the future, but don't want them right now." 

"It's an option to take some control over your reproductive timeline."

Here, Dr Whitton answered all the common questions women ask her about egg freezing.

When is the right time to freeze your eggs?

"Timing plays an important role in egg freezing," Dr Whitton explained. "The ideal time to do it is sooner rather than later, as biology dictates that our number and quality of eggs decline as we age."

"Today is when your eggs are the youngest they're ever going to be — and younger eggs are of better quality and fertilise better, meaning they're more likely to become embryos," said the fertility specialist.

Statistics from IVFAustralia reflect that frozen eggs collected from women under the age of 35 are more likely to achieve a higher pregnancy success rate. 

"The data tells us essentially when you're younger than 35, you only need about 14 eggs for an 80 per cent chance of having a baby," explained the fertility specialist.

"At the age of 40, this goes up to around 45 eggs to give you that same 80 per cent chance of having a baby."

What are the reasons to freeze eggs?

Peace of mind and the option to attempt conceiving later in life with younger eggs — with or without a partner — is the motivating factor for many of Dr Whitton's patients, who are often pursuing career goals, making travel plans or simply haven't found their life partner yet.

"The vast majority of women I speak with about egg freezing are single but want to undertake motherhood later in life," added Dr Whitton. 

Medical reasons that might impact fertility are another prompt for egg freezing. Examples include "a family history of premature menopause" or "a genetic disorder that will eventually require IVF". A medical diagnosis like cancer or the need for surgery in the pelvis region is often a catalyst too.

Should couples freeze eggs too?

For a committed couple, Dr Whitton said she'd instead suggest freezing an embryo, which is "a fertilised egg that's grown in our labs for five days".

"The reason is, an egg must still jump through many hoops to become an embryo. Whereas a frozen embryo has a good chance of pregnancy because it just needs to be implanted in the uterus."

How many frozen eggs do you need?

"It depends on your ovarian reserve and your age. In our initial consultations, we'd talk about an ideal number of eggs for you based on those stats," explained the expert.

"As a ballpark, a lot of experts will say between 20 and 30 eggs is a good number to give most women a good chance of success in the future."

But the catch-22 is the body produces less eggs as we age.

"You might get 30 eggs out of one collection. Or, you might need to have three or four collections to get near that ideal number of eggs."

What's the chance of a frozen egg eventually becoming a successful pregnancy?

According to IVFAustralia's website the statistical success of this process for a woman under 35, after a collection of 10 to 13 eggs (of which seven to 10 are suitable for freezing and storing), would be as follows:

What's the process of egg freezing?

Following initial tests and consultations, Dr Whitton explained the two-week process starts "with about 10 to 12 days of hormone stimulating injections in the belly — and sometimes tablets as well". 

Blood tests and ultrasound scans are undertaken to monitor the ovaries during this period, with Dr Whitton expecting to see a "whole bunch of eggs growing".

"Once a woman has a good number of eggs that are a good size, she'll have the 'trigger injection', which helps mature those eggs."

The egg collection procedure follows next — Dr Whitton said women are often "surprised" at how speedy and non-invasive it is.

"It's a quick procedure under light general anaesthetic — and there's no cuts or sutures. A very tiny needle pierces the roof of the vagina to access the ovaries on either side and remove the eggs."

"After the procedure, she'll spend a few hours in recovery before going home." 

Meanwhile, the collected eggs are snap frozen via a process called "vitrification" and stored until required.

But how will you feel during this process?

The main discomfort issue Dr Whitton hears is "feeling bloated and full" during the injection phase.

"Ordinarily your ovaries are the size of a walnut, but this medication increases them to around the size of a big mandarin."

Following the procedure, Dr Whitton said it's common to experience "cramping" for a couple of days, with most women resuming normal work and exercise after that.

Wait, isn't egg freezing frightfully expensive?

Elective egg freezing is a financial commitment. And if you repeat the process, you repeat the cost.

"The average price is between $7,000 to $10,000 which covers everything from consultations to medications, lab work and monitoring," said Dr Whitton, noting that egg freezing for "medical reasons" does however attract a Medicare rebate. 

There are also ongoing egg freezing storage costs, which the expert estimates at $500 to $600 annually.

What are the biggest misconceptions around egg freezing?

"A lot of people believe getting the eggs out of their body will put them into early menopause and use up all their eggs, which simply isn't true," Dr Whitton said.

And good news for girlies who swear by their IUD's, Dr Whitton said there's a myth it needs to be removed for egg freezing. "You can do this process without taking out your IUD."

I'm curious to know more. Where do I start?

"If egg freezing has ever crossed your mind, there's no harm in seeing your GP or getting a referral to a fertility specialist to get an idea of your reproductive chances," said the doctor.

"They will order an ovarian reserve test, which is a simple blood test that gives an indication of the number of eggs in your ovaries."

Dr Whitton also suggested checking out the IVFAustralia website, which has loads of information. "We also have our YouTube channel 'Fertile Minds', which has some informative videos on egg freezing."

Explore more about egg freezing or request an appointment with a fertility specialist at IVFAustralia.

This information is general in nature and does not replace the personalised advice of a healthcare professional. As with any health treatment, always seek health and medical advice from your healthcare professional.

Feature Image: Getty.

When you visit an IVFAustralia clinic, you’ll have access to some of the leading minds in fertility treatment as well as the latest assisted reproductive technology. Our fully integrated network of care means we take care of every step of your journey for you from initial assessment, diagnosis, fertility treatment, advanced scientific techniques and counselling support.
Nationally we encompass Queensland Fertility Group, Melbourne IVF, and Tas IVF, who all house experts who are at the forefront of reproductive medicine and egg freezing.