Treatment Spotlight:

• Egg freezing doesn’t stop you from conceiving naturally or through IVF later.
• Your menstrual cycle and ovulation continue after egg retrieval.
• Success rates are highest when eggs are frozen before age 35. [1,2,3]
• Egg freezing preserves egg quality, but doesn’t pause biological ageing.
• The process is most effective when timed to your individual health and goals.
• Frozen eggs can be used later in an IVF cycle.

Yes, you can. Freezing your eggs doesn’t stop you from getting pregnant naturally later on, and it isn’t known to cause long-term damage to your fertility. In fact, the goal of egg freezing is to help protect your ability to have a biological child in the future, by preserving eggs at the quality and stage they are when you freeze them. [4]

Your body will continue to ovulate and cycle as usual after an egg collection, meaning you can still try to conceive naturally whenever you feel ready. If you do decide to use your frozen eggs later, they can be fertilised and transferred through IVF, regardless of whether you’ve had any natural pregnancies since freezing your eggs.

Will egg freezing affect my ability to conceive naturally later?

No, the process of freezing your eggs does not harm your ability to get pregnant naturally in the future. After an egg retrieval cycle, your ovaries return to their normal rhythm, and your fertility continues based on your age and individual health. There’s no evidence to suggest that egg retrieval or egg freezing have any long-term negative effects on ovarian function or natural conception rates.

Success rates of pregnancy using frozen eggs are shaped by factors like your age, AMH levels, and any underlying conditions at the time of egg freezing — with the highest chance of success when eggs are frozen before 35. There’s no single right time to start thinking about your fertility, but understanding your options earlier can help you keep more choices open for the future. [1,2,3]

Yes, you do. Egg freezing involves collecting some of your eggs during one cycle, but it doesn’t stop your body’s natural menstrual cycle from continuing afterwards. Once the egg collection process is complete, your periods typically return to their usual pattern within a few weeks, and you continue ovulating and menstruating as is normal for you.

Freezing your eggs is a way to preserve some of your fertility potential for the future, but it doesn’t change how your body naturally functions day-to-day. Here’s what to expect once the process is complete:

Your body’s natural fertility continues

Freezing eggs doesn’t pause your fertility. After the egg collection, your ovaries go back to functioning as they normally would — releasing an egg each cycle, with your menstrual cycle carrying on as usual. You can still try to conceive naturally if and when you choose to.

While egg freezing protects the quality of the eggs collected at the time, it doesn’t stop the natural changes that happen with age. Over time, the number and quality of the eggs that remain in your ovaries continue to decline. This is why egg freezing is often more effective when done earlier, although that doesn’t mean everyone should freeze their eggs in their 20s. It’s about what’s right for you, your timeline, and your goals.

How egg retrieval affects your body

The egg retrieval process involves stimulating your ovaries with hormonal injections to mature multiple eggs in one cycle. This can cause temporary side effects like bloating or discomfort, but once the cycle is complete, your hormone levels settle and your body returns to its regular rhythm. Research shows there’s no long-term impact on ovarian health from the stimulation and retrieval process. [5]

Freezing your eggs gives you an additional option for building your family later on. If you choose to use your frozen eggs, here’s how the process typically works — and what to keep in mind.

Using frozen eggs for IVF

When you’re ready to use your frozen eggs, they are carefully thawed in a laboratory. Some people may choose to genetically test embryos before transfer, depending on personal or medical considerations. The healthiest eggs are then fertilised with sperm to create embryos, and one or more embryos are transferred to the uterus in the hope of achieving a pregnancy. It’s a similar process to a standard IVF cycle, just starting with frozen eggs rather than fresh eggs. [6]

Success rates of IVF with frozen eggs

The chances of success with frozen eggs depend more on the age you were when you froze them than on the freezing process itself. Research suggests that freezing before the age of 35 offers the best statistical chance of a future live birth. But everyone’s circumstances are different, and your clinic can talk through realistic expectations based on your health and fertility history. [7]

Freezing your eggs can’t guarantee a future pregnancy, but it can meaningfully extend your options. It’s about creating more possibilities for the future, giving you the chance to try when the time feels right for you.

• Timing matters: Egg quality is closely linked to age. Freezing your eggs before 35 generally gives the best chance of future success, but it’s still a very individual decision. [7]
• Costs and financial planning: Egg freezing can be expensive. It’s helpful to understand the full costs, including medication, storage fees, and future IVF treatment if you decide to use the eggs later.
• Emotional wellbeing: Fertility preservation can bring up complex feelings. Talking to a counsellor or support network can be valuable.
• Future plans: Egg freezing is a potential part of your fertility path — not the whole plan. Stay flexible about what comes next.
• The number of eggs retrieved: Not every egg collected will lead to a pregnancy later. Your fertility clinic can guide you on how many eggs you may want to freeze to give yourself the best chance later on.
• Clinic experience and success rates: Choosing a trusted, experienced clinic matters. Success rates for egg freezing and thawing can vary, so it’s worth asking plenty of questions before you commit.