Learn about the egg freezing process

You have goals and dreams. Maybe you’re focusing on your education or working hard to advance your career. Perhaps you want to travel, or maybe you’re trying to find the perfect partner to settle down with. You might also want to be a mother, but only after you’ve done all these things. If so, you’ll want to talk to Erika Munch MD about the egg freezing process, so that you understand all of the egg freezing steps before you make a decision.

Our San Antonio egg freezing expert can help you learn more about the different egg freezing steps. Not only that, but she can also help you determine whether fertility preservation fits into your life plan.

Step-by-step: The process of egg freezing

Before you start learning more about the different egg freezing steps, you probably have more than a few questions. How does Dr. Munch get the eggs? Does it hurt? How does the process work? Here is a basic overview of the egg freezing process to help answer these questions.

Stimulating the ovaries. The first step is ovarian stimulation using injectable fertility medications. This step encourages the ovaries to safely produce and mature multiple eggs. A nurse will explain how to give yourself these medications, and you will typically take them for 10 to 14 days.

During this time, you will visit our San Antonio egg freezing expert for regular monitoring appointments. Dr. Munch will use bloodwork and ultrasounds to assess your progress and determine when your eggs are mature.

Retrieving the eggs. When your eggs reach maturity, you will take a shot that tells your ovaries to release the eggs (ovulate). About 36 hours later, you’ll visit Dr. Munch for an outpatient egg retrieval procedure.

Freezing the eggs. After retrieving your eggs, Dr. Munch will send them to the IVF lab. There, embryologists will assess the quality of your eggs. They will then flash-freeze your high-quality eggs using a process called vitrification. Finally, they will place your eggs into frozen storage.

Preserve your fertility now

Once your eggs are safely frozen and placed into long-term storage, they can remain there for as long as you need. Research suggests that eggs can remain frozen indefinitely. In fact, there are reports that a baby was born from an egg that had been frozen for more than 25 years. However, most women freeze their eggs for five to 10 years.

If you have more questions about the egg freezing process, Dr. Munch is here to help. Contact us to schedule an appointment with our San Antonio egg freezing expert and learn more.