Firstly, some women are in poor health and unsuitable for pregnancy and childbirth at that time, thus requiring oocyte cryopreservation. They plan to conceive later when their health improves, for example, some cancer patients or patients with other serious illnesses affecting their ovarian function by treatments or surgeries. Therefore, they pay for egg freezing before undergoing such treatment to ensure future fertility. Additionally, some women may not choose to conceive during their prime reproductive years due to work or other personal reasons. However, as they age, such as after 35 years old, the number and quality of their eggs gradually decrease. Therefore, planning ahead for future fertility and egg freezing is a good option for them, as it is financially affordable.

​Indeed, a woman's age at egg freezing often significantly impacts her future ability to conceive using these frozen eggs. Doctors generally recommend that women undergo egg freezing between the ages of 25 and early 30. This is because after age 35, the quality and quantity of a woman's eggs gradually decline, greatly reducing the chances of successful pregnancy. However, it's crucial to avoid overdoing it. Freezing eggs too young , such as at age 20, means there's still a considerable period when the body can conceive naturally, making the frozen eggs unnecessary and easily a waste of the money spent on egg freezing. Under Hong Kong law, there is currently no time limit for egg freezing storage. However, it's also considered that even if a woman freezes her eggs at age 20, waiting until age 40 or 50 to use these frozen eggs, while the chances of conceiving with frozen eggs do not differ significantly with age, the risks during pregnancy and childbirth will greatly increase. Therefore, it's recommended that women plan ahead or set a specific timeframe for egg freezing beforehand. Under current law, women who wish to continue egg freezing after five years need to see a doctor every two years for continuation of storage.

In fact, the more frozen eggs you have, the better, because each egg only has one chance of conceiving (but it does not mean having one baby). The more frozen eggs you have, the higher your chances of getting pregnant. Typically, a woman around 30 years old who has undergone egg freezing once will have more than 20 frozen eggs stored, and the chance of getting pregnant using these frozen eggs will be over 80%. In contrast, a woman around 40 years old who has undergone egg freezing once will usually only have fewer than 10 frozen eggs stored, and the chance of getting pregnant using these frozen eggs will only be about 20%. Even if she undergoes egg freezing twice, storing a total of more than ten frozen eggs, the chance of getting pregnant using these frozen eggs will only be 40% or less.

In addition, it also depends on how many children the woman wants in her ideal family plan. If the goal is to have 2 to 3 children, she may need to undergo repeated egg freezing cycles to increase the number of eggs and the chances of getting pregnant.

In summary, there is no single answer to how many eggs are sufficient; it depends on the woman's wishes regarding egg freezing, thus ensuring that the cost of egg freezing is not wasted.

Indeed, freezing and thawing eggs may affect some eggs, but the survival rate after thawing is generally around 80-90%. The survival rate depends on various factors, including the woman's age at the time of freezing and quality of the eggs. In other words, the younger the woman is when freezing her eggs, the higher the survival rate after thawing. Statistics also indicate that the chances of pregnancy with thawed eggs are roughly the same as those with eggs that have not been frozen.

Throughout the egg freezing process, ovulation-inducing injections are used. These injections can cause the uterine lining to shed earlier. Therefore, about 8 to 10 days after the egg retrieval procedure before egg freezing, menstruation may arrive early, which is normal. Subsequent menstrual cycles will gradually return to a normal pattern. Don't worry.

In our clinic's experience with egg freezing services, clients often ask if having multiple eggs retrieved within a short period of time will lead to premature ovarian failure, and they worry about entering menopause and aging earlier. These are common misconceptions. In each monthly ovulation cycle, a batch of eggs are awakened, but the body's hormones can only support the growth of one egg. Therefore, only one egg is released each month, and the others are naturally lost. The ovulation-stimulating injections administered to women aim to give those lost eggs a chance to mature. So, the egg freezing process does not involve "laundering future money," so please be assured!

Indeed, Hong Kong has strict regulations regarding assisted reproductive technology including egg freezing. For those wishing to use egg freezing service need to pay extra considerations in many details apart from paying the egg freezing price. Firstly, as a patient seeking egg freezing, all information about the procedure, the outcome, and the freezing process must be registered in the Human Reproductive Technology Authority's archives. This arrangement aims to ensure the legality of all egg freezing procedures. Secondly, egg freezing must be performed at a government-approved reproductive technology center or clinic, guaranteeing that the storage and use of the frozen eggs are legal.

Hong Kong law does not stipulate that individuals using egg freezing services must be married; even single women can pay the egg freezing fee to use this service and preserve their fertility. However, it's important to note that if a woman decides to conceive using frozen eggs later, she must be married and provide proof of marriage; otherwise, she will be violating the law, and the egg freezing fee will be wasted.

Retrieving and freezing eggs from a woman for preservation is a minor surgical procedure with very mild side effects. After the procedure, there may be slight abdominal bloating and pain, along with a little bleeding, but generally no serious complications or long-term effects occur. A small number of women may experience ascites after egg freezing, but this is usually mild and subsides within a week. To address these side effects, women undergoing egg freezing at clinics or centers are usually allowed to rest for about two hours before undergoing examinations until their blood pressure, heart rate, and other vital signs return to normal. They can then leave accompanied by an adult family member or friend.

After egg retrieval, it's best to wait until after your next menstrual period before engaging in strenuous exercise, such as running or lifting heavy objects. Similarly, sexual intercourse should be avoided during this period to allow the ovaries sufficient time to recover. Excessive activity during this time could lead to ovarian torsion, significantly hindering the recovery process and incurring additional medical expenses on top of the egg freezing costs. If a woman wishes to exercise after egg retrieval, she should choose gentle activities such as walking. After her menstrual period, she can gradually adjust her exercise routine according to her physical condition to resume normal activity levels.

Because egg freezing involves advanced technology and requires a relatively long storage period, the cost can be substantial. The specific costs vary depending on the procedure. For example, the egg retrieval procedure itself costs approximately HKD$30,000 or more in the laboratory. The use of egg storage tubes also incurs a fee, with each tube costing over HKD$1,000. Storage costs also vary depending on the storage period; for instance, storing eggs for one year would cost over HKD$10,000, while storing them for 10 years would approach HKD$100,000. Therefore, careful budgeting is essential when considering egg freezing costs.