Egg Preservation

Sometimes a Legitimate Stopgap Measure

Egg preservation (also known as social egg freezing) is the cryopreservation of unfertilized female eggs as a precaution in case a woman is unable to engage in family planning later in life. This is driven by the rapid decline in female fertility beginning at age 35 (and for many women, as early as age 30). We have also been offering this service in our laboratory since 2012, always following a detailed medical consultation.

POSITIVE

• Psychological relief for single women, especially those whose ex-partners did not want children
• A safety net in case of medical issues (endometriosis, mother experienced early menopause, low AMH level for her age)
• Psychological relief for women who are uncertain whether they will want children in the future

NEGATIVE

• Many women freeze their eggs too late (after age 35) and freeze too few (fewer than 15)
• Only 11% of women use their stored eggs, and of those, only 28% give birth to a baby (52% if the eggs were stored before age 35)
• It is an illusion to think that starting a family at 40 (or even later) will be easier; we have seen patients who froze their eggs at age 35 and, at 45, realized with utter despair that the legal storage period had expired
• For women in stable relationships, there are very few situations in which egg preservation makes sense instead of starting a family soon
• Investor-driven new centers with expensive infrastructure aggressively advertise their high-priced services

No easy journey

The procedure corresponds to the first stage of in vitro fertilization, involving hormonal stimulation of the ovaries and retrieval through the vagina under light anesthesia. Under Swiss law, storage is limited to ten years. If the eggs are used later, they are thawed and fertilized with the sperm of the partner at that time as part of an IVF/ICSI procedure.

Costs (non-refundable)

• CHF 300 for a non-binding, detailed initial consultation with an ultrasound and, if necessary, a blood draw for AMH testing. This requires a visit to our office; we do not schedule online appointments for this purpose.
• CHF 4,800 flat fee, including the first six months of storage, excluding medications for ovarian stimulation (CHF 1,000–1,400)
• CHF 220 for an additional six months of storage (maximum of ten years)
• If used later for IVF/ICSI with the husband’s or partner’s sperm: CHF 4,100

My Position

Egg freezing is by no means a panacea for the general population and should not be aggressively marketed, nor should it be promoted by certain employers who wish to retain their female workforce longer without offering them family-friendly career options. France and Scandinavia demonstrate that this is possible; however, the birth rate there is also declining in line with the global trend. Egg freezing can, however, be a legitimate stopgap solution for women aged 32–35 without a suitable male partner, especially if a relationship ended because the man was unwilling to commit to starting a family. I have always held this nuanced view, including on Swiss television’s evening news in 2014.

Medical freezing

A completely different situation: the emergency freezing of eggs for young cancer patients during the short period between diagnosis and the start of chemotherapy, which could damage the ovaries. We naturally offer this service as well, and medical freezing is covered by health insurance.