Fertility in women can now be preserved through a technology called oocyte cryopreservation or basically speaking, egg freezing. It’s a fast becoming fad that has caught for the past few years. In this article, we will discuss its basic processes and on how much does it cost to freeze your eggs.
Accordingly, women opt for egg freezing due to any of the following reasons:
- Having cancer requiring chemotherapy and/or pelvic radiation therapy that may affect fertility.
- Possible damage to the ovaries due to surgery
- Premature ovarian failure risks due to abnormalities in the chromosomes.
- Ovarian diseases.
- Genetic mutations which require removal of the ovaries
- Fertility preservation for social or personal reasons to delay pregnancy.
Average Cost for Freezing Eggs
For women up to age 38, egg freezing is still seen as the more cost-effective option according to researchers. In a nutshell, the process includes women injecting themselves with hormones for a couple of weeks. Afterward, doctors will then collect the mature egg cells from the ovary using a needle.
These eggs are then frozen through a slow-freeze method or through vitrification which is a flash-freezing process. Should the client so elect, she can have the eggs thawed to be used after a few months or years as the case maybe. But that would be another process and would entail another expense.
The average cost for freezing eggs, however, depends largely on the number of eggs to be frozen and also the number of cycles needed to attain that number.
A single cycle costs from $6-$10,000 which includes all testing, monitoring, medications and egg freezing.
To enable more women to gain access to this procedure, some financial programs are being implemented by some fertility centers.
Available Financial Programs
- Fee for Service
For only $7,500, this already include one egg freezing cycle including monitoring appointments, egg retrieval, cryopreservation and the first year of storage.
- Egg Freezing Discount Program
An option for women who will need more egg freezing cycles. Usually, those who availed of Fee for Service and later need to have succeeding cycles take this option. This offers a decreasing cost with each succeeding cycles.
First cycle: $7,500
Second cycle: $6,000
Third cycle: $5,500
Fourth cycle: $5,000
- Assure Fertility
This is a flat-fee program for women interested in elective egg freezing. Its guarantee will be in effect until either a certain number of eggs or cycles is reached, whichever comes first. It also include the cost of monitoring appointments, the egg retrieval, cryopreservation, and the first year of storage.
- Assure 20
For a flat fee of $12, 500, women with a satisfactory ovarian reserve is allowed up to four egg freezing cycles or 20 mature eggs. Once she reaches such quantity of eggs, the patient can choose to terminate the succeeding cycles and she will be refunded with $4,000. This option somehow is an answer to expensive freezing eggs price prevalent in the fertility industry today.
- Assure 30
For only $18, 000, it offers up to five egg freezing cycles or up to 30 mature eggs, whichever comes first. Should she reach any of the maximum limits after the first cycle, she can choose to terminate the program and be refunded with $9, 500. If it happens after the second cycle, the refund will be $4, 000.
- Package Price
Some fertility companies offer package prices for their egg freezing services.
For $4, 990, it includes freezing at least 12 mature eggs. This is believed to be enough to give a woman a chance for a pregnancy. However, it doesn’t include long-term storage and medications.
Freezing Eggs Price Procedures
- Ovarian Reserve Tests
This test would assess the quantity and quality of the eggs to be frozen. However, since there is no specific ovarian reserve test, a combination of tests is recommended for a solid measurement of its fertility potential.
The ovarian levels will not determine the abundance of eggs to freeze nor a woman’s chance at such procedure. Coupled with the other essential tests, this could increase how much does it cost to freeze your eggs.
- AMH (Anti-Mullerian Hormone)
This is a blood test meant to measure follicle sizes in the ovary and shows a good picture on egg quantity. Average cost is from $100- $200.
- Day 3 FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone)
A blood test conducted on Day 3 of the menstrual cycle. It measures the hormones produced by the pituitary gland which enables growth of egg follicles. Average cost is from $75- $150.
- Estradiol (E2)
This is a blood test on a hormone produced by the follicles that stimulate eggs to mature. Average cost is from $75- $150.
- Antral Follicle Count (AFC)
A transvaginal ultrasound test considered as the best indicator of ovarian reserve as it measures both the quantity and quality of eggs. Average cost is from $125- $250.
- Comprehensive Chromosomal Screening(CCS)
This is just an optional genetic test but is highly recommended for eggs frozen from women aged 35. Average cost is $4,000-$7,000.
- Egg Retrieval
In order to retrieve eggs for freezing, a patient undergoes the same hormone-injection process as in-vitro fertilization.
The average cost for freezing eggs includes this procedure which costs between $10,000 and $17,000 per cycle.
- Storage
Eggs are frozen using either a slow-freeze method or a flash-freezing process known as vitrification at 196 degrees Celsius. Average cost is $350-$750.
- Medication
Medications cost depends on the individual dosage and the body’s response to medications. Average cost is $2,000 – $4,500
Conclusion
Research shows that despite the hefty freezing eggs price tag, it is one of the best fertility preservation methods available in the market today. The fact that spending $ 40,000 – $62,000 just to be pregnant at age 40 with 62% – 72% success rate definitely solidifies that.