Egg Freezing FAQs

Social egg freezing is for women who want choices in their future fertility. If you aren’t ready to be a parent, or are unsure if you ever want to be a parent, social egg freezing provides options.

Eggs that are frozen in the late 20s and early 30s will produce more live births. That is because as we age our egg store decreases, as does the egg quality.³ We recommend social egg freezing for women under the age of 36.

Social egg freezing might be right for you if you’re under the age of 36 and healthy. If you have a medical condition or are having medical treatment that could impact fertility, you may be eligible for medical egg freezing.

At our Gold Coast clinic, initial investigations and the AMH test are bulk-billed with no cost to you. Find out more about how much egg freezing costs here.

The first step in social egg freezing is a no-obligation appointment with our team. At your first appointment at our Gold Coast clinic one of our fertility experts will ask you about your menstrual history, any pre-existing medical conditions and your family health history. You may then be referred for an ultrasound and some blood tests, including an AMH test.

An AMH blood test (Anti-Müllerian Hormone) is one way to estimate your egg count. The test cannot identify causes of infertility or predict if you will become pregnant. The AMH test is the best predictor of egg reserves only.

Social (elective) egg freezing is for healthy people, 36 years and under, who aren’t ready to be parents yet and want more choice over their future fertility. Medical egg freezing is for people who have a medical condition, or are undergoing medical treatment, that might impact their fertility now.

If after the initial investigations the results indicate that medical egg freezing is an option for you, our team of experts will talk you through what’s next and connect you with the best possible support.

If you elect to have social egg freezing, the process is simple. After your initial consultation and preliminary tests, your fertility expert will create a personalised treatment plan for you. This plan will outline all the steps involved in egg freezing. This includes the stimulation of egg production, egg collection, freezing and storage. For more information about the step-by-step process, learn more here.

Eggs are frozen via a process called vitrification. This is a rapid freezing technique that reduces ice crystal formation by removing fluid, which assists in promoting high survival rates. Eggs are stored in liquid nitrogen tanks that are continually monitored and alarmed.

Your eggs are stored with our partner Monash IVF in their state-of-the-art laboratory on the Gold Coast.

Biologically, eggs can be stored indefinitely.¹ However, some Australian states and territories stipulate how long eggs can be stored for, typically 10-15 years.

Like any medical procedure, there are some risks associated with egg freezing. These risks can include short-term complications like bleeding or infection. There is also a risk that no eggs can be collected or frozen after the stimulation process.² Your fertility expert will explain all the risks involved and answer any questions you have. Learn more about the risks involved with egg freezing here.

No. Copper IUDs and Mirena’s do not negatively impact your egg production or egg health, and they don’t interfere with the effectiveness of egg-stimulating treatments before your extraction. IUDs are a safe and effective method to prevent pregnancy before and during the egg freezing procedure. It’s also safe to keep using the same IUD after egg extraction.