Egg-Freezing Cost: Details about Saving Your Eggs for Later

If you are considering options for becoming pregnant in the future, egg freezing is a treatment alternative that has no doubt entered the picture. Questions about egg-freezing cost have likely crossed your mind, but there is so much more to learn about the process before you delve into the pricing details.

What is egg-freezing?

Egg freezing is an advanced reproductive technology method used to preserve the opportunity for a woman to get pregnant in the future. Multiple eggs are aspirated from the ovaries, and these unfertilized eggs are frozen. They can be thawed later, fertilized with sperm, and then implanted into the uterus using in vitro fertilization methods.

Why would it be necessary to freeze one’s eggs?

There are several reasons why egg freezing is utilized. The simplest reason may be that you are not ready to conceive now but want to ensure that your eggs are available for you to become pregnant. If you think you might be quite a bit older when you want to have children, freezing “younger” eggs will greatly improve your chance of becoming pregnant.

Other reasons for freezing eggs are as follows.

• You may require treatment for cancer or another illness or disorder that could affect your future fertility. Both radiation and chemotherapy can negatively impact fertility, so freezing your eggs increases the possibility of being able to conceive when your treatment is complete, and you have recovered enough to consider pregnancy.
• You have another existing disease or disorder that could affect your fertility. This includes some autoimmune diseases, such as lupus, and others, such as sickle cell anemia.
• Some women undergoing in vitro fertilization as an infertility treatment prefer to freeze their eggs for religious or ethical reasons.
• You want to use your eggs in the future to allow a surrogate to carry your biological child.

Is it safe?

Before discussing egg-freezing cost, it is important to understand that a handful of issues must be considered when freezing one’s eggs for later use.

• You will be prescribed certain hormone drugs to produce more eggs for harvesting to induce ovulation. Though quite rare with modern stimulation protocols, some women develop ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, which can cause unwanted discomfort for a few days.
• The actual retrieval process is done under anesthesia as a mini-surgical procedure, thus, while extremely rare, there are always associated risks with any such intervention, such as bleeding or, even less likely, infection.
• Many experts say that the biggest risk involved with egg freezing is emotional. When women freeze eggs intending to become pregnant later in life, while their future prognosis is generally excellent, as with all such therapies, there cannot be a guarantee of success. A woman who chooses to freeze her eggs must come to grips with the idea that future pregnancy(ies) using these eggs is not always a 100% given.  In addition, women who freeze their eggs for future use must also be counseled that there is a chance that they may never need to use these frozen eggs if they end up conceiving on their own, thus having their eggs frozen at a younger age may serve as more of an “insurance policy” to maintain their future fertility potential.

So what about egg-freezing cost?

There will be costs associated with each aspect of the egg-freezing process. Egg freezing costs encompass more than just the actual preservation of the eggs. Such fees include consultations, ovulation stimulation medications, the actual egg retrieval procedure, storage, and the eventual thawing of the eggs as needed. Intermittent doctor appointments may be necessary as well.

The average cost for an egg freezing cycle in the U.S. in the last few years has ranged anywhere from approximately $8000 to $15000, depending on many factors, including where the patient has geographically located as well as her reproductive characteristics, such as how much fertility medicine she may require to recruit the optimal number of eggs for retrieval. There may also be additional fees, such as for pre-genetic testing or third-party fees, including for the anesthesia provider.

As with any reproductive journey, it is very difficult to predict the exact costs before a consultation with an infertility specialist in your area. After a physical examination and a chat about your medical history, he/she can provide you with more details, including a meeting with the financial staff for a breakdown of costs. It is important to note that most health insurance does not cover elective egg freezing, which changes slowly in certain circumstances.  You should check with your healthcare insurance company to determine your eligibility.

At Advanced Reproductive Medicine, we are eager to introduce you to the benefits of egg freezing and discuss how it can be a wonderful option for you. With the help of your fertility coach, our doctors can lead you toward the optimal next step to help conquer your fertility issues, whether it be freezing eggs for later use or taking other steps to address your current challenges.

To schedule an appointment with our team of experts, please schedule a consultation, or call us at 732-339-9300.