Egg freezing

To help you preserve your opportunity of having a family in the future, egg freezing treatment is available at our IVF fertility clinics in Cambridge, Colchester, Norwich and Wickford.

How does it work?

Egg freezing can offer you a way to preserve your eggs if you are not ready to become pregnant just now but wish to bank some of your eggs to preserve your future fertility.

A cycle of egg freezing involves the same treatment as for conventional IVF, except the eggs are not fertilised or transferred. The eggs that are mature enough for this process are frozen on the same day as your egg collection.

Any eggs collected from you that are suitable for freezing, will be stored at your chosen clinic for up to 55 years – the maximum standard storage period allowed by the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA). We’ll contact you every year and ask you to confirm your wishes for the next 12 months. If you wish to continue storage with us, there is an annual storage fee to pay.

When the time comes for you to use your stored eggs, they will be thawed and inseminated with sperm. We’ll then transfer the resulting embryos to you, using the same procedure as in a conventional IVF embryo transfer.

Is it right for me?

At Bourn Hall, we offer egg freezing because the process might offer you the only chance of having your own biological child.

If you’d like to do everything possible to preserve this opportunity, egg freezing might be an appropriate option for you. This could be because of your lifestyle choice – for instance, you’re approaching your mid-30s without being ready to start a family – or the fact that you’re facing cancer treatment, or some other medical intervention that could affect your future fertility.

What next?

A decision to freeze eggs requires a lot of thought and consideration. Our team will take the time to discuss your options and create a plan that is personal to you. We also recommend you discuss the implications with one of our counsellors before embarking on a cycle of treatment.