Success Rate

Success rates for egg freezing (cryopreservation) differ from woman to woman as there are several variables involved.

These variables include:

  • The age of the woman at the time of egg collection (ie: the age of eggs) as well as the age of the woman at the time of IVF / embryo implantation.
  • The total number of eggs collected (ie: how many cycles of egg collection / total number of collected eggs to work with).
  • The overall health status of the woman at the time of egg collection as well as the overall health status of the woman at the time of IVF / embryo implantation.

Egg Freezing, Thawing & IVF Process

How it works:

  1. Collection of eggs through minor procedure (better quality eggs / outcome if woman is younger and/or healthy).
  2. Freezing eggs (vitrification).
  3. Future thawing of eggs (some eggs will be lost in process).
  4. IVF: fertilisation with sperm in the lab, which develops into an embryo.
  5. Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) of embryo in lab (to identify and exclude abnormal embryos).
  6. Procedure to implant healthy embryo into uterus.

Your Eggs vs. Donor Eggs

Chance of Pregnancy with IVF

Unfortunately, advanced maternal age goes hand-in-hand with diminished ovarian reserve, which means declining egg quality, and that means lower odds of IVF success using your own eggs as you age. After 45, experts say it is almost impossible to get pregnant using your own eggs, even when using techniques such as IVF.

However, studies have shown that even as you age beyond 35 (when your own eggs start to rapidly decline), IVF success rates using donor egg are stable at around 51% fertility chance per cycle of IVF. This confirms that the age of your own eggs at collection (and not your personal age) is the primary barrier to pregnancy in older women.

Accordingly, the younger you are when you elect to freeze your eggs, the better your future chances are of being able to use your eggs to get pregnant.

Eggs Collection Per Cycle & Live Birth Probability

The following graph is an evidence-based counselling tool that was developed to guide women and their specialists as to the number of eggs needed (collection cycles) for freezing, for future family-building goals.

It shows age-based averages of the probability of getting pregnant from using all the eggs collected from one cycle.

Accordingly, depending on your age at time of egg collection, more than one cycle might be necessary to confidently secure the necessary number of eggs for future use.

This helpful calculator allows you to calculate your probability of a live birth by entering your age and entering the number of mature eggs you have made available for use with IVF.

Note: On average, a woman under the age of 35 will have 10-15 mature eggs collected in a single cycle / retrieval procedure, but this number reduces by approximately 1-egg per year above 35.

Success Calculator

Calculate the success rate percentage chance

Conclusion

The decision to freeze your eggs should be based on a combination of biological factors, personal goals, and emotional readiness.

Success rates are lower for women over 35 (due to quality of remaining eggs), which is why we recommend preserving your fertility sooner rather than later. If you’re over the age of 38, egg freezing may not be a suitable avenue. However, there are more immediate options that can be explored such as the use of donor sperm.

Book an appointment with one of our fertility specialists who are experts in egg freezing, and who can provide personalised guidance to help you make an informed choice.

Remember that egg freezing is not a guarantee of future pregnancy, but it can provide women with additional options and peace of mind as they navigate their reproductive journey.

Take the First Step

Book an appointment today.

Get in touch with our friendly team to arrange an appointment with one of our fertility specialists.