Medically reviewed by Sumiran Racherla, MD, Internal Medicine. Last reviewed: October 23, 2026.
What kind of doctor provides Egg Freezing?
A fertility specialist, called a reproductive endocrinologist, guides egg freezing. An embryologist, a trained scientist, checks the eggs and freezes them. A direct primary care or concierge doctor can be a first stop for an evaluation and can refer you to a specialist when needed.
What it is
Planned egg freezing may raise the chances of having a biological child later. The treatment is like the first part of in vitro fertilization (IVF). IVF is the joining of an egg and sperm in a lab dish. In egg freezing, the eggs are frozen right after they are removed, before they are fertilized.
Why a doctor might recommend it
The chance of getting pregnant falls as a woman gets older. New eggs are not made after birth, and the egg count keeps falling. Egg quality also falls, which may raise the risk of miscarriage.
Cancer treatment is another reason. Chemotherapy can lower the number of eggs a woman has. Your doctor can remove and freeze eggs before treating your cancer. Some women choose egg freezing over embryo freezing if they have no current male partner, or for personal or religious reasons.
How to prepare
Before a cycle, you speak with a fertility specialist. This doctor offers blood work and an ultrasound to see if egg freezing is right for you. Not everyone is a candidate for egg freezing.
Costs usually fall into three broad phases.
- Visits, tests, medicines, and egg retrieval
- Storage of eggs until use, which is usually an annual fee
- Use of the eggs to try for pregnancy in the future
What happens during it
You give yourself daily shots for about 10 to 12 days to help more than one egg mature. During this time, blood tests and ultrasounds track how your ovaries respond to the medicines. Egg retrieval is a brief outpatient procedure. It usually takes 15 to 30 minutes, with light anesthesia. The doctor uses ultrasound images as a guide and puts a thin needle through the vagina into the ovary. Suction through the needle pulls the eggs and fluid out of each follicle, a small sac in the ovary. Once removed, the eggs are frozen the same day.
Recovery
There may be some cramping after egg retrieval, but it will go away within a day. As with IVF, contact your provider right away if you have a fever over 100.5°F (38°C) or pelvic pain after egg retrieval. After cancer treatment, eggs that survive thawing are fertilized in the lab with a partner's or donor sperm. Embryos that develop are then placed in the uterus.
Risks and side effects
Fertility medicines can cause bloating. They can also cause mood swings and headaches. Rarely, fertility medicines cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Fluid builds up in the belly and chest. Signs include bloating, fast weight gain, passing less urine, nausea, and vomiting. Mild cases can be treated with bed rest. Severe cases need fluid drained with a needle and possibly a hospital stay.
Egg retrieval has risks too. They include reactions to anesthesia, bleeding, infection, and damage to the bowel and bladder.
Call 911 or go to the emergency room if you have trouble breathing, chest pain or discomfort lasting two minutes or more, fainting, severe belly pain or pressure, or bleeding that will not stop.
Who performs it
A reproductive endocrinologist, a fertility specialist, screens you first.
Common questions
Does egg freezing guarantee a baby later?
No, freezing eggs is not a guarantee of future pregnancy or having a child. The chance that one frozen egg will yield a baby is only about 2 to 12 percent. The rate drops further with age, and more eggs may mean more tries at pregnancy.
What is the best age to freeze eggs?
Most experts agree that planned egg freezing is most likely to succeed before age 38. It typically works best for those in their 20s to early 30s.
Are the eggs fertilized before they are frozen?
No, the eggs are not fertilized before they are frozen.
Will insurance pay for egg freezing?
It depends, because some but not all insurance plans cover elective egg freezing. You should check with your insurance to learn more about your benefit and what conditions apply.
How does a direct primary care or concierge doctor fit in?
A direct primary care doctor charges a flat monthly fee instead of billing insurance, while a concierge doctor usually charges more and often works alongside insurance. A direct primary care or concierge doctor can be a first stop for an evaluation and can refer you to a specialist when needed.
Sources
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine - Can I Freeze My Eggs to Use Later If I'm Not Sick?
- American Society for Reproductive Medicine - Female Cancers, Cryopreservation, and Fertility
- MedlinePlus - In vitro fertilization (IVF)
Medical Disclaimer
This content is for general educational and informational purposes only and is not medical advice. It is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and reading it does not create a doctor-patient relationship. Always seek the advice of your physician or another qualified health provider with any questions about a medical condition, and never disregard or delay seeking professional advice because of something you read here. If you think you may have a medical emergency, call 911 (or your local emergency number) immediately.
