Women are increasingly taking to freezing their eggs, as decisions around childbirth are being taken isolated from traditional societal norms, and more in tune with a woman’s personal choices. We ask a medical expert how safe is freezing of eggs. Dr Hitesha Ramnani Rohira, consultant, IVF, Kokilaben Dhirubhai Ambani Hospital, Mumbai, says: “Egg freezing is generally considered safe when performed in an experienced fertility centre, under the guidance of reproductive physician.
The minor risks involved with the procedure are mild bloating, mood swings, minor cramps after retrieval. Rare side effects like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, bleeding or minor infection during oocyte retrieval could present themselves. The freezing process itself is well-established, especially with vitrification. Importantly, freezing eggs does not guarantee a pregnancy or healthy baby after thawing and fertilisation in vitro and transfer.”
What should one be cautious about regarding the facility and doctor?
When considering egg freezing, choose a properly registered fertility centre with an experienced reproductive physician and a strong embryology laboratory. Ask for clinic-specific results on egg survival after thawing, fertilisation, embryo development and live birth, ideally broken down by age. Also check storage security, backup systems, costs, consent arrangements and what happens if the clinic closes.
How long can a frozen egg be viable?
Frozen eggs do not have a fixed biological expiry date when stored correctly. Evidence indicates that prolonged storage itself does not appear to reduce egg survival or pregnancy rates, although research on extremely long storage periods remains limited. Practical limits depend on the country’s regulations, clinic policies, consent and storage fees. Therefore, ask your clinic for its maximum permitted storage period and renewal requirements, and keep your contact details updated.
Can deterioration, genetic damage or reduced viability occur during freezing?
Egg freezing itself is not known to cause genetic damage when modern vitrification and proper storage are used. The bigger genetic concern is age at freezing: older eggs are more likely to have chromosomal abnormalities because of natural reproductive ageing. Current evidence does not show that years in storage themselves increase genetic damage.
Who should consider freezing eggs, and who should not?
Egg freezing may be considered by people who want to preserve reproductive options, particularly those delaying childbearing, unmarried, still unsure about the partner, facing chemotherapy, radiotherapy, ovarian surgery, or conditions that may reduce ovarian function. It may be less suitable when ovarian reserve is low, treatment (aggressive cancers) cannot be delayed, or health conditions make stimulation or retrieval unsafe. Decisions should be individualised.