Deciding whether to freeze eggs or embryos isn’t always simple, and depends very much on your individual circumstances. 

As a general rule, many of those wanting to freeze their eggs are single women who are not ready to have a baby now, and who are taking steps to maximise their chances of having a baby in the future. They do have the option of using donor sperm to create an embryo to freeze, but many elect to freeze their eggs as they envision meeting a partner later who could then be part of the DNA of their child.

We also see women in relationships choosing to freeze eggs rather than embryos, because they are unsure if they will remain with that partner in the long-term. It’s important to know that even if you break up, the embryo cannot be used without the former partner’s consent as it is half their DNA.

When it comes to the success rates of freezing eggs versus embryos, embryos do offer better outcomes. Embryos are already fertilised, while eggs are still a single cell and therefore a little more vulnerable during the thawing process. Once thawed, the eggs then have to be fertilised, and there is some attrition during this process too.

We encourage women to get a good number of eggs to maximise their chances of success. A woman’s age at the time of egg freezing is the dominant factor in how many eggs we recommend they try to freeze, as well as other considerations like how many children they want. Younger women will generally require less eggs as the egg quality tends to be better in younger women.

It is crucial to realise that a store of 5 eggs does not translate to the chance to have 5 babies, as not all will thaw, not all will fertilise, and embryos don’t always implant or continue into viable pregnancies. As such, we often recommend that women do several rounds of egg freezing to reach a number that is statistically favourable. It is never a guarantee that egg freezing will ultimately result in a baby.

We know that eggs can be frozen and thawed successfully for at least 10 years. Egg freezing is still a relatively new procedure, so data is still coming in on success rates beyond that time period. While frozen embryos can be stored indefinitely, there are regulations in Australia around how long they can be kept, so speak to your fertility specialist.

Listen to the full podcast for more detailed information!