If you're not ready to start a family yet but want to keep the option of becoming a solo mum by choice open, egg freezing lets you preserve your eggs now, then choose ICSI with donor sperm when you're ready. Freezing your eggs at a younger age generally means better egg quality to work with later, since egg quality declines over time.
The process of freezing your eggs as a single woman
Freezing your eggs follows the same steps whether or not you have a partner, though a few things look a little different when you're doing this solo.
1. Initial consultation
You'll meet with a fertility specialist to discuss your medical history, your goals, and whether egg freezing is a good fit for your circumstances.
2. Fertility checks
Understanding your current egg reserve and fertility health helps your specialist give you a realistic picture of what to expect from the process and how many eggs you may need to freeze.
Learn about female fertility tests
3. Ovarian stimulation
Hormone medication encourages your ovaries to produce multiple eggs. This stage usually takes around 10 days, with regular monitoring through ultrasounds and blood tests.
4. Egg retrieval
A minor procedure collects the eggs from your ovaries, generally performed under sedation or local anaesthetic.
5. Freezing (vitrification)
Your eggs are frozen using a fast-freezing process that prevents ice crystals from forming and damaging the cells.
6. Storage
Your eggs are stored in liquid nitrogen, where they can remain viable for many years until you're ready to use them. Eggs can generally be stored for 10 years, but storage timeframes vary by state.
7. Future egg thawing and use
Your eggs are thawed, fertilised with donor sperm using ICSI, and transferred into your uterus as an embryo. This is where your egg freezing pathway connects with the donor sperm process.
Learn more about fertility options for single women, including IVF, ICSI, and IUI
Success rates
Age is the biggest factor in egg freezing success. While there is no single best age for women to freeze their eggs, those who freeze their eggs younger generally have higher quality eggs, which improves the chances of a successful pregnancy later on. The number of eggs collected and your overall health also play a role.
No procedure can guarantee a pregnancy, but frozen eggs used later with ICSI have success rates comparable to using fresh eggs in IVF, thanks to advances in freezing technique. Your specialist can talk you through what this might look like for your own age and circumstances.
Egg freezing costs and payment options in Australia
An egg freezing cycle generally includes four cost components:
- Your initial consultation with a fertility specialist
- The stimulation cycle and medication
- The egg retrieval procedure
- Freezing and storage fees, plus an ongoing annual storage fee after that
We haven't included exact figures on this page, since egg freezing costs vary by state across Australia. You'll find the current pricing via the links below, and you'll also receive a clear, itemised cost breakdown from your clinic before you decide to start treatment.
If cost is a concern, interest-free payment plans of up to 24 months are available to help spread the payments out.
- Read a comprehensive guide to treatment costs
- Explore payment plan options
Navigating risks and emotional support without a partner
Egg freezing carries the same physical risks for everyone, including a small chance of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) from the hormone medication and the usual small risks that come with sedation during egg retrieval. Your specialist monitors you closely throughout to minimise any risk.
Going through this solo, it's worth thinking about who you'd like as your support person on retrieval day. While it’s not essential, it can be comforting to have someone you trust in the waiting room. Many single women also find it helpful to talk things through with a counsellor, particularly given how personal and sometimes emotional this decision can be. Our team is here to support you through every step of the process and answer any questions or concerns you may have.
