Egg freezing

The number and quality of your eggs decrease naturally as you age. By the time you reach your late 30s and 40s, fertility typically declines significantly. However, it’s essential to remember that fertility varies among people, and there are no guarantees.

Without egg freezing, your fertility potential will be subject to the natural ageing process, which may result in a reduced chance of conceiving as you get older.

Egg freezing generally involves manageable discomfort rather than pain. The process consists of ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, and freezing. During ovarian stimulation, hormone injections can lead to temporary pelvic discomfort, bloating, and mood swings. Egg retrieval is a minor surgical procedure performed under anaesthesia, causing brief post-procedural discomfort, including mild cramping or pelvic pressure. Recovery typically takes one to two days and can be managed with over-the-counter pain relievers. Severe side effects, like ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) occur in less than 1% of the cases and can be controlled with a proper management of the process. Talk to our fertility specialists about what to expect during the treatment phases.

At Ferticentro, the risk of egg theft is extremely low due to stringent security measures in place. Our accredited facility employs biometric access control, 24/7 surveillance, intrusion alarms, backup power systems, strict access protocols, and specialised cryogenic storage tanks.

If you have frozen eggs that you do not use, we can offer long-term storage, allowing you to continue storing them for a fee payable per 5-year period. You may decide to discard your frozen eggs if you no longer wish to use them. In some cases, frozen eggs may be used for research or scientific studies with your informed consent.

Yes, after egg freezing, you will still have eggs left in your ovaries. Egg freezing involves harvesting a portion of your eggs for future use, preserving them at a specific point in time. The number of eggs remaining post-procedure depends on factors like your ovarian reserve, response to stimulation, age, and overall health. Your natural egg supply continues to decline with age, and the quality may diminish, affecting fertility. Egg freezing allows you to preserve a subset of eggs to potentially improve your chances of conception in the future, especially if age-related fertility declines become a concern. However, it doesn’t deplete your entire egg reserve.

No. We maintain stringent protocols to ensure the secure and accurate storage and retrieval of reproductive materials, such as eggs and sperm. Measures include meticulous labelling, specialised cryogenic storage with individual compartments, comprehensive verification steps, and the employment of trained staff following strict procedures. Moreover, Ferticentro holds the distinction of being the pioneering clinic in Portugal to implement RI Witness, an automated, human-independent system designed to safeguard against mix-ups and cell mishandling. This cutting-edge technology ensures the safety of both patients and staff throughout the entire process.

Medications used for egg freezing may have side effects. These can include mild abdominal discomfort, bloating, and, rarely (less than 1% of the cases), ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS – this can lead to hospitalisation if not treated and prevented properly). Hormonal changes may lead to mood swings, breast tenderness, and fatigue. Self-administered injections can cause injection site reactions. These side effects vary among individuals, and your fertility specialist will monitor your response to minimise risks. While side effects can be uncomfortable, they are generally manageable, and the potential benefits of egg freezing, preserving fertility options, often outweigh these temporary discomforts. It’s crucial to discuss any concerns with your specialist before starting treatment and it is also very important to signal any unattended effects to our medical and nursing teams.