ClinicsDoctorsTreatmentsResourcesWho we areAsk PATHEgg freezing is one way of preserving a woman’s fertility so she can try to have a family in the future. It involves collecting a woman’s eggs, freezing them and then thawing them later on so they can be used in fertility treatment. Firstly, you'll need to be tested for any infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis. This has no bearing on whether you can freeze your eggs or not, but is to ensure that affected egg samples are stored separately to prevent contamination of other samples. You'll then start the IVF process, which usually takes around 2 to 3 weeks to complete. Normally this will involve taking drugs to boost your egg production and help the eggs mature. When they’re ready, they’ll be collected whilst you’re under general anesthetic or sedation. At this point, instead of mixing the eggs with sperm (as in conventional IVF) a cryoprotectant (freezing solution) will be added to protect the eggs. The eggs will then be frozen either by cooling them slowly or by vitrification (fast freezing) and stored in tanks of liquid nitrogen. Latest statistics show that vitrification is more successful than the slow cooling method. Most women will have around 15 eggs collected although this isn’t always possible for women with low ovarian reserves (low numbers of eggs). When you want to use them, the eggs will be thawed and those that have survived intact will be injected with your partner’s or donor’s sperm. IVF is mostly very safe, although some women do experience side effects from their fertility drugs. The standard storage period for eggs is for a maximum of 10 years, although women in certain circumstances may be able to store their eggs for up to 55 years.
Nottingham, United Kingdom
United Kingdom
89.82% success rate
Eastbourne, United Kingdom
89.17% success rate
London, UK
88.4% success rate
London, United Kingdom
86.09% success rate
Edinburgh, United Kingdom
86.27% success rate
Sourced from what people genuinely ask, answered in PATH's voice — reviewed before publishing, never generated live.
Egg freezing starts with screening for infectious diseases like HIV and hepatitis, then moves into a stimulation phase using medication to encourage several eggs to mature, usually over two to three weeks. Eggs are collected under general anaesthetic or sedation, then frozen quickly through vitrification rather than slow cooling, which current evidence favours, and stored in liquid nitrogen until needed. Most people have around fifteen eggs collected, though this can be fewer with a lower ovarian reserve. A clinic can talk you through what their version of this timeline looks like.
UK clinics typically quote £2,500 to £4,500 for the retrieval cycle itself, plus £300 to £600 a year for ongoing storage, and clinics often recommend one or two retrieval cycles to build a meaningful egg bank, which affects the total. Headline prices don't always include medication, which can add a meaningful amount, so ask for a full quote covering drugs, retrieval, and storage together rather than comparing retrieval fees alone between clinics.
Outcomes from frozen eggs depend heavily on age at the time of freezing, along with how many eggs are stored and the quality of the lab doing the freezing and later thaw, so there's no single ideal age that applies to everyone. This is a genuinely individual question shaped by your own fertility, family plans, and reasons for considering it, whether that's an upcoming cancer treatment, a diagnosis affecting reserve, or simply wanting the option later. The HFEA publishes clinic-level data by age band that's worth reviewing alongside a consultant's advice.
Egg freezing is generally considered safe, though some people experience side effects from the stimulation medication, and not every collected egg will survive the thaw or go on to fertilise later. Storage has time limits too: ten years is standard, though some circumstances allow storage of up to fifty-five years, so it's worth understanding your clinic's storage terms up front. How many eggs you're likely to need banked depends on your own situation, which is best discussed directly with a consultant rather than assumed from general figures.
People consider egg freezing for quite different reasons — before cancer treatment, because of an early diagnosis affecting reserve, or simply to keep options open against age-related decline — and there's no requirement to be certain you'll use the eggs before starting. It's a reasonable thing to sit with rather than rush, and worth discussing what meaningful storage looks like for your situation, since clinics often suggest one or two retrieval cycles to build a useful bank. A consultant can help weigh it against your own timeline and circumstances.
These answers are general — PATH personalizes once it knows your age, your numbers, and your story.
This article provides general information about fertility — not medical advice. Always consult your fertility specialist or another qualified clinician for decisions about your care. In an emergency, call your local emergency services.
Whether Egg Freezing fits is a question about your age, your results, and your history — not about averages. PATH can help you reason through it, or start from the clinics that offer it.
