Egg Freezing

Egg freezing is a form of fertility preservation designed to protect future reproductive options for women facing medical circumstances that may affect their fertility. For women diagnosed with cancer, freezing eggs before chemotherapy or radiotherapy begins can be an important step in safeguarding the possibility of future parenthood.

At Child Fertility, our Oxford-trained specialists provide personalised care and discreet, compassionate support for women in Saudi Arabia considering fertility preservation for medical reasons.

What is fertility preservation?

Fertility preservation involves collecting and freezing a woman’s eggs for future use. It is recommended for women who are about to undergo medical treatment, most commonly cancer therapy, that carries a risk of affecting fertility.

During egg freezing, mature eggs are collected from the ovaries and frozen unfertilised using vitrification, a rapid freezing technique used in modern fertility treatment. Later, the eggs can be thawed, fertilised in the laboratory and used as part of IVF treatment.

Freezing eggs before treatment begins helps preserve their quality at that point in time, which can be important because age at freezing is one of the strongest predictors of future success.

Who can benefit from egg freezing?

Egg freezing for fertility preservation may be recommended for women who are about to undergo:

• Chemotherapy or radiotherapy for cancer, which can affect ovarian function
• Surgery that may impact the ovaries or reproductive organs
• Other medical treatments known to carry a risk to fertility

A fertility specialist will assess your medical history, ovarian reserve, and treatment timeline before advising whether egg freezing is appropriate and, importantly, whether there is sufficient time before treatment begins.

What to expect during egg freezing

The egg freezing process usually takes around two to three weeks and follows the same early stages as IVF:

• Ovarian stimulation – Fertility medications are used to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs in a single cycle.
• Monitoring – Regular ultrasound scans and blood tests are used to track follicle development and ensure optimal timing for egg collection.
• Egg retrieval – Once the eggs are ready, they are collected in a minor procedure, usually performed under sedation. A fine needle is used to gently retrieve the eggs from the ovaries. Most patients go home the same day and experience mild cramping or bloating afterwards.
• Freezing – The collected eggs are frozen using advanced vitrification techniques, allowing them to be safely stored for future use.

Where time is limited due to an upcoming treatment schedule, your specialist will work closely with you to ensure the process is completed as efficiently and safely as possible.

What is the best time to freeze eggs?

Timing is critical when egg freezing is being considered alongside medical treatment. Ideally, the process should begin as soon as possible after diagnosis and before any treatment starts, as chemotherapy and radiotherapy can affect both egg quality and ovarian reserve.

Early referral to a fertility specialist — ideally at the point of diagnosis or treatment planning — gives the best chance of completing the process in time. Your specialist will assess your individual circumstances and work alongside your medical team to determine whether egg freezing is feasible within your treatment timeline.

How long can eggs be frozen?

Eggs can be safely stored for many years using modern freezing techniques, provided the required consent remains valid and is renewed as needed.

In Saudi Arabia, there is no specific regulatory limit defined for how long eggs may be stored.  The duration of storage is guided by the consent provided by the patient and the applicable regulatory requirements.

When a patient decides to use their frozen eggs, thawing and ICSI can only be performed after presenting a valid marriage license, in accordance with local regulations. Your specialist will guide you through the process and explain how this applies to your individual circumstances and future planning.

Egg freezing success rates

Egg freezing success depends on several factors, particularly:

• Age at the time of freezing
• Number of mature eggs retrieved and frozen
• Egg survival after thawing
• Future fertilisation and embryo development

Egg freezing vs embryo freezing

Egg freezing and embryo freezing are both forms of fertility preservation, but they differ in when fertilisation happens.

• Egg freezing: Eggs are collected and frozen unfertilised for future use
• Embryo freezing: Eggs are fertilised with sperm first, and the resulting embryos are then frozen

For women preserving fertility ahead of medical treatment, egg freezing may be suitable because it does not require sperm at the time of freezing. Embryo freezing may be considered by married couples who are planning treatment together. 

Your control and care throughout the process

Throughout egg freezing, you remain in control of the decision making process. We understand that facing a cancer diagnosis while also thinking about future fertility can feel overwhelming. Our team is here to make this process as straightforward and supportive as possible, providing clear information, emotional support, and clinical excellence at every step.

Speak to a fertility specialist

If you are facing medical treatment that may affect your fertility and want to understand your options, our team is here to help. We offer personalised assessments and compassionate care, working alongside your medical team to support the best possible outcome.