Trans and non binary fertility preservation: egg freeze information

What is involved in egg freezing?

Egg freezing involves a few steps:

• You’ll get hormone injections to encourage your ovaries to produce multiple eggs.
• Your progress will be monitored with ultrasound scans and blood tests.
• When the eggs are mature, they’ll be collected during a short surgical procedure during which you will receive sedation.
• The mature eggs are then frozen and stored.

Are there any side effects?

The younger you are, it is more likely your ovaries will respond well to fertility drugs, but there’s a small risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) to all no matter your age. OHSS is a potentially serious reaction to the hormone injections where overstimulated ovaries enlarge and release chemicals that can cause blood vessels to leak.

We minimize this risk by carefully selecting the type and dose of hormone injections. About one in three people experience mild OHSS, which can usually be managed at home with pain relief and prescribed medication for a few days.

How long will I be in hospital for?

You can normally go home one to two hours after the egg collection procedure. Some light bleeding is normal, and any abdominal discomfort usually subsides within 12 hours with pain relief.

There’s no guarantee that all retrieved eggs will be suitable for freezing. Factors like age, previous treatments, or other medical conditions can affect egg quality and quantity. If the retrieved eggs aren’t of good enough quality, they might not be able to be frozen. This will only be known after the egg retrieval procedure and lab examination.

If we determine that your eggs cannot be frozen, we will inform you and discuss the possibility of further egg retrieval cycles, if appropriate.

I’ve already started hormone therapy or puberty suppressing medication – what are my options?

If you’ve already started hormone therapy, including puberty blockers or hormone blockers and wish to preserve your fertility, it may still be possible. You should speak with a fertility specialist. They may recommend pausing your medication to reduce how suppressed your ovaries are, and to potentially increase the number of eggs that can be stored.

If pausing hormone therapy for egg retrieval will cause distress to you, you may wish to explore other paths to parenthood, including using donor eggs or adoption

I’ve been undergoing hormone therapy and am about to go for genital reconstructive surgery, what are my options for preserving my fertility?

If you’re undergoing genital reconstructive surgery, your only option for trying for biological children in the future is to preserve your eggs before the procedure. Once surgery is completed, egg production and retrieval may no longer be possible.