Social freezing

Social freezing may be beneficial for a number of women who want or need to delay childbearing in order to pursue educational, career or other personal goals. Because fertility is known to decline with age, social freezing might increase the chances of later pregnancy by retrieving healthy eggs as soon as possible and freezing them for later use.

The course of social freezing basically corresponds to the first phase of fertility treatment. During the hormonal stimulation, the growth of follicles is stimulated in the ovaries, while the whole process is monitored by ultrasound examination. Subsequently, the eggs are retrieved and frozen at minus 196° C. Thus, they can be safely stored essentially for an unlimited period. However, they can be used until a woman reaches the age of 50 years at the latest, which is the upper age limit for undergoing embryo transfer at our clinic.