What Is Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a fertility preservation technique that allows women to collect and store their eggs for future use. The eggs are frozen using a rapid-freezing method called vitrification, which prevents ice crystal formation and preserves egg quality at a cellular level.
This procedure gives women the freedom to plan their reproductive future on their own terms — whether for medical, personal, or career-related reasons.
Who Should Consider Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing is recommended for women in a variety of circumstances. Understanding your personal situation can help you decide if this is the right step.
Age-Related Fertility Decline
Female fertility begins to decline significantly after the age of 35. Women who are not yet ready for pregnancy but want to preserve their fertility potential can benefit greatly from freezing their eggs while they are still young and healthy. The age factor plays a critical role in egg quality and quantity.
Medical Reasons
Women diagnosed with cancer or autoimmune diseases who are about to undergo chemotherapy, radiation, or other treatments that may damage the ovaries should consider egg freezing before starting treatment. It offers a lifeline for future family planning.
Social and Career Reasons
Many women choose to freeze their eggs to focus on education, career advancement, or simply because they have not yet found the right partner. Egg freezing removes the pressure of the biological clock and gives you more time to make life decisions.
How Does the Egg Freezing Process Work?
The egg freezing process closely mirrors the initial stages of IVF treatment:
- Initial consultation and testing: Hormone levels (AMH, FSH) and an ultrasound are used to evaluate your ovarian reserve and overall reproductive health.
- Ovarian stimulation: Fertility medications are administered for 10–14 days to encourage the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs.
- Egg retrieval: A minimally invasive procedure performed under light sedation to collect the mature eggs from the ovaries.
- Vitrification: The retrieved eggs are immediately flash-frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen at −196°C, where they can remain viable for many years.
The entire process — from the first injection to egg retrieval — typically takes about two weeks.
Egg Freezing Success Rates
Success rates depend primarily on the age at which the eggs are frozen and the number of eggs retrieved. Key statistics include:
- Women under 35 have the highest survival rates after thawing — typically above 90%.
- Freezing 15–20 eggs before age 35 provides a strong chance of achieving at least one live birth in the future.
- Eggs frozen at younger ages retain better quality, leading to higher fertilization and implantation rates when used later.
Turkey's leading fertility clinics use state-of-the-art vitrification technology, achieving egg survival rates comparable to top European centres.
Egg Freezing Cost in Turkey
One of the biggest advantages of choosing Turkey for egg freezing is the significant cost savings compared to the US and Western Europe — often 50–70% lower — without compromising on quality or technology.
A typical egg freezing cycle in Turkey, including medications, monitoring, and the retrieval procedure, ranges from €1,500 to €3,000. Annual storage fees are also considerably more affordable. Visit our IVF cost page for a detailed breakdown and to request a personalised quote.
Why Choose Turkey for Egg Freezing?
Turkey has become one of the world's leading destinations for fertility treatments, and egg freezing is no exception. Here is why thousands of international patients choose Turkey every year:
- JCI-accredited hospitals equipped with the latest reproductive technology.
- Experienced fertility specialists with international training and high success rates.
- Affordable pricing that includes comprehensive care packages — consultations, procedures, medications, and follow-up.
- Convenient travel — Istanbul is a major international hub with direct flights from most cities worldwide.
- All-inclusive patient support — from airport transfers and accommodation to multilingual coordination throughout your stay.
Ready to take the first step toward preserving your fertility? Contact us for a free consultation and personalised treatment plan.