Egg freezing is expensive - in fact, it can be one of the biggest investments any of us will make for our future. In the UK, it's also typically the first time we will have actually paid for something healthcare related. This can make the stakes feel high, and add to the pressure of knowing where to start and exactly what price to pay.

Whilst on average egg freezing packages cost £3,815, a key challenge is that each clinic approaches pricing their treatments differently. Some do packages, for example, while others price everything individually. This is made more complicated by the fact that some clinics are not transparent in their pricing. This can make it hard to understand your liabilities, or what other costs could potentially be coming down the line.

Another difficulty is that costs are linked to an individual's unique treatment plan. That means some people might need more medication than others. They might need additional scans, or more tests. In addition, many people will have more than one cycle of egg freezing. All of this impacts the total amount you could end up paying.

A core part of our mission at Fertility Mapper is to make understanding the cost of your treatment as easy as possible. We want to reduce financial stress throughout your treatment process, so there are no unexpected surprises.

It's useful to break egg freezing costs down into three stages: investigation, treatment and post-treatment.

Across each stage, depending on the clinic, there will be a mix of fixed and variable costs. In practice, what that means is:

• Some parts of your treatment will be grouped in a package, and you'll be charged a flat fee. These are your fixed costs

• During other parts of your treatment, there will be charges for every procedure, depending on what's required for your individual needs. These are your variable costs.

Now let's take a closer look at each of our three stages.

Once you've picked your clinic, you'll be asked to come in for your initial consultation, or what's known as a fertility MOT. The doctor will then suggest carrying out some tests and scans. After these have been completed, you'll have a follow-up consultation. In some cases, more scans will be required - all of which you'll pay for.

Some clinics fix the cost of the investigation phase, charging you one price for the whole experience - these are often called fertility MOTs. Other clinics will change you individually for each scan, blood test, consultation - you name it. The more of them you have, the more you pay.

Here are some typical costs for the investigation stage:

The treatment you undergo after your initial investigation will vary depending on your individual needs or personal circumstances.

However, regardless of any unique requirements, your clinic should always provide you with a fully costed treatment plan before you start treatment. The clinic should provide you with this after you have completed your investigation stage.

Most clinics have created egg freezing treatment packages, which cover a lot of the costs required for treatment, including the doctor's time, nurse consultations, monitoring tests, surgical instruments, and facilities. However, it's important to remember that what's included in a treatment package varies from clinic-to-clinic. For example, some clinics include anaesthetic and scans, while others don't.

Another reality is that almost all clinics do not include the cost of medication in their packages. Medication is expensive, and it can vary a lot from individual-to-individual, and clinic-to-clinic. That means medication can have a huge impact on what you finally pay.

For many fertility treatments, the majority of the costs you incur will happen during the investigation and treatment stages. However, when it comes to egg freezing there will be some considerable additional costs to factor in after you have had your treatment. To start with, not every clinic will include storage in their package, and if they do it will be for a limited time only - typically 1 year. Given many people save their eggs for years before using them this cost can add up.

Finally, when you do use your eggs in fertility treatment later down the line, you will be charged for each egg fertilised using ICSI and transferred into your womb through a process called an Egg thaw transfer cycle.

As we've discussed, very few clinics include medication costs in their treatment packages or individual services. This is because the amount and type of medication a person requires can vary significantly depending on their treatment and individual needs.

Whilst you can buy your medication from the clinic, not many people are aware that once you have a fully costed treatment plan and your doctor has provided you with a list of what medication you need, you can actually shop around. While most people buy their medication directly from their clinic, you can buy your medication from other trusted places - like high street pharmacies.

To buy your medication from another provider, you will need to ask your clinic for a prescription. The clinic will charge you for the prescription.

1. Explore clinics - now that you have a clear idea of what costs are involved, you can read our community reviews and explore clinics in our Find A Clinic section. Each of our reviews includes information on how transparent a clinic is on the cost of treatment. This will give you an idea of how good the clinic is at providing upfront and timely information on costs, and important terms and conditions (like refunds).

2. Create your shortlist - As you make your clinic shortlist, you can use the information on clinic cost and transparency to help select the clinics that meet your needs and budget.

3. Find out more about how to choose a fertility clinic - Don't forget, cost isn't the only factor when selecting a fertility clinic. Make sure you read our guide on how to pick and shortlist a clinic for further advice.