What is Egg freezing?
Egg freezing is a multi-step process that supports both short and long-term reproductive goals.
An egg freezing, or egg harvesting, cycle takes approximately 2 weeks, during which time your ovaries are stimulated to grow multiple mature eggs. The eggs are then retrieved by a physician during a short procedure before being frozen and stored for future use. From consult to completion, the entire process takes around 2-3 months.
WHY FREEZE YOUR EGGS?
Key factors around egg freezing
There are a number of reasons why someone may choose to explore egg freezing, from professional pursuits, to finding the right partner or feeling more financially stable. Whatever your reason, we’re here to support your short and long-term reproductive goals. Some key factors when considering egg freezing are:
Eggs are a nonrenewable resource. People with ovaries are born with a finite number of eggs and over time that number declines.
Egg quality declines over time. As you age, the percentage of eggs with genetic abnormalities increases.
Fertility naturally decreases as we age. This decline accelerates around our mid-30s.
Let’s explore egg freezing at Twig
So you’re interested in egg freezing? Let’s plan. Here’s what the whole process looks like.
STEP
1
During this visit, you will meet with one of our egg freezing specialists to discuss your short and long-term reproductive goals. We’ll also look to find out more about your background and medical history, and discuss any questions you may have about the process. Our goal is to ensure you feel informed, educated and confident about egg freezing and the important decisions that come with it.
STEP
2
After your consult, you will come to the clinic for a series of diagnostic tests. This will include an Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) blood test and an internal ultrasound. Together, these will help us to understand your current fertility and how many eggs we can expect to retrieve from a single cycle of egg freezing.
STEP
3
Once we’ve received the results of your assessment, you’ll have a planning session with your care provider to review all of your results and discuss the process and timing for your personalized egg freezing cycle.
STEP
4
In the weeks leading up to the start of your cycle, you will receive a personalized care plan and be in regular contact with your nurses to ensure you are feeling comfortable, confident and ready to go.
STEP
5
Over a period of approximately 8 to 12 days, you will take injectable hormonal medications to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs. During this time, we will closely monitor your progress with blood work and internal ultrasounds. Once ready, you will take a trigger shot to help your eggs mature before they are retrieved.
STEP
6
Your eggs will be carefully retrieved by one of our physicians. We use an ultrasound to see the follicles and gently guide a needle through the vaginal wall into the ovaries. We use sedation to keep you comfortable during this process.
STEP
7
Once your eggs have been retrieved, they will be handed off to one of our embryologists in our in-house embryology lab, which is directly connected to our procedure room. There they will be counted and frozen.
STEP
8
Once frozen, we will store your eggs safely for future use. This is accompanied by an annual storage fee.
Trans-affirming care
We’re pleased to offer egg freezing for trans people with ovaries. While the process is the same for all people with ovaries, you can learn more about our inclusive approach to care and additional services for members of the LGBT2SQ+ community below.
Making your future reproductive goals possible
Whether your family building goals are short or long-term, we want to help make that possible for you. We offer simple and transparent pricing to help people understand the full requirements for egg freezing.
Some services and drug costs are covered by OHIP or private insurance. Our care team will work closely with you to ensure you receive maximum coverage for supported services.