Egg Freezing FAQs

Based on your AMH test result and the antral follicle count (AFC), your physician will recommend the number of eggs to freeze based on your future family building goals. Your physician can also estimate how many cycles might be needed to prepare for your goals.

Retrieving eggs during one cycle does not deplete the ovaries' overall supply of eggs. Instead, it "rescues" available eggs that would otherwise be lost.

The highly trained group at PFC has been vitrifying eggs since 2007. We are one of the few practices in Northern California that have experience in not just freezing but thawing eggs and have had hundreds of babies born from vitrified eggs.

Most of the pre-cycle consults can be completed via telehealth. During the time ovaries are being stimulated (8–12 days), you will require about 4-5 office visits for ultrasounds and blood tests. These appointments take about 20–30 minutes. The day the eggs are retrieved is the only appointment that requires a full day off work.

We are a preferred provider with Sunfish, Future Families, Lending Club and CapexMD fertility financing solutions. To learn more about their programs, click here.

The process of growing a number of egg follicles to a mature size can give a feeling of fullness or bloating in the pelvic area. This can be uncomfortable, but rarely results in lost time at work or school.

The retrieval process itself is done under intravenous (IV) sedation, so you are breathing on your own, but "asleep" and not experiencing any pain. Most women are able to return to work the day after the egg retrieval. For a few days after the egg retrieval, the ovaries will re-expand to the size they were just prior to the egg retrieval procedure. Any potential discomfort can be managed with reduced activity and a heating pad.

You can anticipate some bloating and temporary weight gain for 10–14 days after retrieval. After this time, you may have some minor lingering ovarian discomfort. Expect a menstrual period within 14 days after retrieval. Following this menstrual cycle, cycles usually return to normal.

Fertility medications have been in use for more than 30 years and have undergone multiple scientific studies that confirm their safety.

Even after egg retrieval, one or more eggs may remain in the pelvis, so pregnancy is possible. Therefore, once you start on fertility medication, we recommend using condoms during intercourse. However, know that intercourse can be uncomfortable while your ovaries are stimulated.

In early studies, the risk of birth defects in children born from previously frozen (cryopreserved) eggs appears similar to those born after natural conception. As with any pregnancy, birth defects after egg freezing are possible and have been reported. At this time, there is not enough data to determine the degree of specific risks.

Age is the best predictor of egg health. Ultrasounds and blood tests can predict the approximate egg numbers expected from a cycle of stimulation. However, it is not possible through clinical tests to measure egg quality. Ultimately, a good egg is one that achieves a successful pregnancy.

Egg Freezing is a personal decision. Our physicians can counsel you and provide their medical opinion and recommendation based on testing results and available data. Ultimately the decision to move forward is yours and we will be your partners in care.

In limited studies, eggs seem quite stable once frozen (vitrified), so there does not appear to be any short-term limit to maintaining them. Nevertheless, due to the lack of long-term storage data, we currently encourage you to use your eggs within 10 years of being vitrified.

Currently, stored eggs are thawed and inseminated with a sperm injection technique that has been in use for more than 20 years. This is known as intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). ICSI is needed because the process of preparing and freezing eggs hardens the shell covering the egg.

Eggs are stored in cryopreservation facilities at PFC in San Francisco. Storage facilities outside San Francisco are available, and we can discuss these options for long term storage if needed.

Pacific Fertility Center supports transfer of embryos into women up to age 55. Embryos created from frozen eggs can be transferred into a gestational carrier for a woman who is older than age 55. However, PFC requires compliance with its age-limit guidelines for both partners of a parenting couple. If you have questions about how this might impact your fertility planning decisions, please discuss this with us.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has strict guidelines about testing required with the transfer of genetic material to another person. This includes blood tests that must be done within 30 days of the egg retrieval. Your clinical coordinator can review these details with you during your consult.

You can reach new patient coordinators via our website here or by calling 415-834-3095 or 888-834-3095 toll-free.