Why egg freezing is done?

Egg freezing is a way to protect options for the future. It lets eggs be collected and preserved at a younger age, then used later when timing, partnership, health, or life circumstances are a better fit. The goal is simple: create a reserve of eggs while they are more likely to be healthy, so you have more choices later.

Common reasons people freeze eggs

Timing and partnership are uncertain, and you want to keep options open.

You plan to try later and want a safety net that reflects today’s egg quality.

You are starting treatment that could affect fertility, such as chemotherapy or certain surgeries.

You have conditions that may impact ovarian reserve over time, like some endometriosis cases or a strong family history of early menopause.

You are considering IVF and want to bank eggs now to build toward a future family size.

What egg freezing can and cannot do

Freezing eggs does not guarantee a future pregnancy. It increases the chance that you will have usable eggs later, which may shorten the path to a healthy transfer when you are ready. Age still matters at retrieval, and you may need more than one cycle to reach your target number of eggs. Think of egg freezing as an options tool, not a promise.

How the process works, in brief

Egg freezing mirrors the first part of IVF. Medications help several follicles grow at once, eggs are retrieved under light anesthesia, and mature eggs are frozen for storage. When you are ready in the future, the eggs can be thawed, fertilized, and embryos transferred.

What to consider before deciding

A short planning conversation with a clinic helps set expectations. Two points matter most: how many eggs you are likely to retrieve per cycle and how many eggs you want to bank for your goals. Clinics often use ultrasound to count small resting follicles, called an antral follicle count. This is usually paired with hormone testing to help estimate likely response to medication and whether you might need more than one cycle. Cost, time off for monitoring, and your support system during the process are practical pieces to weigh as well.

Where Strawberry fits

Before you decide when to freeze or how many cycles to plan, it helps to know your starting point. Strawberry’s at-home panels give you lab-grade context without the clinic runaround, and every member receives a Personalized Fertility Timeline that turns results into next steps. Day 3 testing is especially easy since you collect at home, without last-minute drives to a lab when you are tired and menstruating.

Choose the panel that fits your goal

Ovarian Reserve Blood Test (AMH) for a quick read on egg quantity and a clearer conversation about how aggressively to plan.

Fertility Blood Test (AMH, FSH, estradiol) for early-cycle context when you are deciding on timing, targets, and whether to bank across one or more cycles.

Women’s Health Panel for a broader view when you want fertility insight alongside day to day hormone health like energy, sleep, mood, training, and symptoms.

Bottom line

Egg freezing is done to protect options, not to pressure a timeline. If having a younger batch of eggs in storage would lower your stress or better fit your plans, it is worth exploring. Start with a focused baseline, review your Personalized Fertility Timeline, and take your questions to a clinic. With a clear plan, you can choose the path that fits your life today and your goals for tomorrow.