Preceding ovarian stimulation cycle, fertility specialists evaluate the ovarian reserve to determine the potential yield of eggs. It includes certain blood tests and pelvic ultrasound. Ovulation stimulation is carried out by injectable hormonal medications. After which the oocytes and the surrounding fluid in the ovarian follicles extracted while under sedation. The maturity of eggs is closely observed under microscope and the mature ones are cryopreserved.

The eggs will be used in future when the woman is ready to use them and conceive. The cryopreserved eggs are placed in warming solution and assessed. The eggs that survive the freezing process are taken for fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where a single sperm is directly injected into the egg. The fertilized eggs are then grown in culture until the embryos are ready to transfer into the uterus to achieve pregnancy. It takes 3-5 days after fertilization.

Egg freezing is a recent development so to estimate success rates more data is required. Yet, it’s been clinically proven that between 4 to 12% per oocyte the possibility for pregnancy counts. The two important factors that determine the chances for live birth are woman’s age during egg freezing and the number of eggs available.