How egg freezing works, step by step
The whole path from first consult to frozen eggs — so nothing feels like a surprise.
Held is peer support and education — always check anything medical with your own care team.
- Consult & testingA fertility specialist reviews your history and checks your ovarian reserve with bloodwork (AMH) and an ultrasound (antral follicle count) to see what to expect.
- StimulationAbout 10–12 days of daily hormone injections so many eggs mature at once, instead of the single one your body usually releases.
- MonitoringFrequent short visits — bloodwork and ultrasound — so your clinic can watch your follicles grow and adjust your dose along the way.
- TriggerA precisely-timed final injection matures the eggs. Retrieval is booked for about 36 hours later, so the timing genuinely matters.
- RetrievalA ~15–30 minute procedure under light sedation collects the eggs with a thin, ultrasound-guided needle. You go home the same day.
- Freeze & storeAn embryologist freezes the mature eggs by vitrification (flash-freezing). They’re stored safely until you’re ready — there’s no rush.
Where this comes from
Independent, non-commercial sources — no clinic ads:
- ReproductiveFacts.org (ASRM) — Patient fact sheets and a step-by-step fertility-preservation journey, from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
- HFEA — The UK’s independent fertility regulator — a clear A–Z glossary and unbiased treatment information.
- SART — US clinic success-rate data and patient guides from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology.
- Mayo Clinic — A plain-language medical overview of egg freezing — what to expect, risks, and results.
You don't have to figure this out alone.
Held is a private, anonymous community for women freezing eggs or embryos.
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