'Dramatic rise' in egg freezing: why are so many women choosing the procedure, and how does it work?

A record number of women are freezing their eggs in the UK, as more people are proactively choosing to take control of their fertility, according to experts who spoke to NationalWorld. A new report from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HEFA) found that egg freezing and storage increased by 2,576 cycles in 2019 to 4,215 in 2021 - which is a 64% rise. This makes it one of the fastest-growing fertility treatments in the UK. 

The data showed there was also a 10% rise in IVF and donor insemination cycles between 2019 and 2021 - which is around 7,000 more cycles. Patients in heterosexual relationships accounted for around 90% of all IVF patients in 2021. The number of IVF patients in female same-sex relationships increased from 1,649 in 2019 to 2,201 in 2021 (a 33% rise) and single parents rose from 2,001 in 2019 to 2,888 in 2021 (a 44% rise).

So what is egg freezing and why are so many people opting for the procedure? Here is what you need to know. 

What is egg freezing?  

Egg freezing involves collecting a woman's eggs to help preserve her fertility as she ages and her chances of naturally conceiving fall. Women are first tested for any infectious disease to ensure that affected egg samples are stored separately, then undergo the IVF process. This takes around two to three weeks and involves taking medication to boost egg production and help eggs mature. 

When the eggs have matured, they will be collected whilst the client is under general anaesthetic or sedation. HEFA says the average cost of having your eggs collected and frozen is £3,350 - and medication is an added £500-£1500. Storage costs are between £125 and £350 a year. Thawing eggs and transferring them to the womb costs an average of £2,500. So, overall the whole process is between £7,000-£8,000 a year. 

Hans Gangeskar, CEO of Overture Life, told NationalWorld the trend of egg freezing aligns with a larger trend of women proactively choosing to take control of their fertility, and someone who chooses to freeze their eggs is a very different person to the traditional IVF patient. 

He said: “As we see a worldwide increase in the demand for egg freezing, there's an emerging narrative shift within the fertility industry. It's inspiring to witness women not just entering an IVF clinic due to diagnosed infertility but instead actively choosing to control their fertility timeline.”

This approach shows a shift in how fertility is perceived and managed and he said that more women are doing their homework to ensure that their eggs will be viable in the future when they want to use them.

Why are more people freezing their eggs?

HEFA says the dramatic rise of people freezing their eggs could be linked to the pandemic. Sarah Norcross, director of the Progress Educational Trust, said of the latest data: “The dramatic rise in the number of egg-freezing cycles could be linked to the pandemic.

“Restrictions on socialising may have prompted some women to think more about their fertile window, and decide to try to increase their reproductive choices.”

The average age of women having the fertility treatment with IVF has risen to 36. Julia Chain, chairwoman of the HFEA, said: “Overall, the new HFEA report paints a promising picture. It shows treatment numbers are back at pre-pandemic levels and thanks to improved clinical and laboratory practice, over time pregnancy rates are increasing.

“Despite the pandemic being declared officially over, the aftershocks are still being felt as delays across other areas of healthcare prevent some patients from accessing fertility services. Our report shows that the average age of IVF patients has increased to 36, around five years older than mothers who get pregnant naturally and these aftershocks could mean that the average age of an IVF patient continues to rise.

“Although pregnancy rates have increased, the likelihood of success decreases with age. For some patients, this may mean they never get the baby they hoped for and that’s heartbreaking.”

Jenny Saft, fertility expert and CEO and co-founder of Apryl, froze her eggs in 2019. She told NationalWorld: “I froze my eggs in 2019 when I was 32. I was single and had a full-on career, so starting a family felt like a far-off prospect. I found the process incredibly empowering. It was something I wanted to do for myself so that I could give my future self options and autonomy over my fertility.” 

She added that although it was one of the best decisions she has made, she was struck by how expensive it is. She said: “The current system means accessing fertility treatments like egg freezing remains a privilege, not a right. But everyone should be able to choose when, how and with whom they want to start a family. We need to create new, affordable routes to fertility so that more women are empowered to take control of their lives, their families and their bodies."

What is the success rate?

When it comes to success in getting pregnant using own eggs, the average overall IVF pregnancy rate using fresh embryos increased from 10% per embryo transferred in 1991 to 29% in 2021. Patients aged 18 to 34 had the highest pregnancy rate per embryo transferred at 41% in 2021. For patients aged 35 to 37, pregnancy rates per embryo transferred increased from 8% in 1991 to 33% for patients. This was 25% for patients aged 38 to 39 in 2021.

For patients aged 40 to 42, the pregnancy rate per embryo transferred increased from 6% in 1991 to 16% in 2021, and for those aged 43 to 50, the pregnancy rate per embryo transferred increased from 1% in 1991 to 6% in 2021.

Live birth rates per embryo transferred have increased from 7% in 1991 to 25% in 2021 for patients aged 35 to 37 and from 6% in 1991 to 17% in 2021 for patients aged 38 to 39. For those aged 40 to 42, the live birth rate per embryo stands at 10%, but plummets for women aged 43 and over. However, the average IVF pregnancy rate using frozen embryo transfers has increased from around 7% in the 1990s to 36% in 2021, and the average IVF birth rate using frozen embryo transfers also increased from around 6% in the 1990s to 27% in 2021.