I had an advantage most people going into egg freezing don’t: years of experience inside the fertility field before I ever sat in the patient chair myself. And even with that background, there were still questions I didn’t think to ask, or assumed I already knew the answer to, until I was already partway through the process.
Here are the questions I wish I’d asked before freezing my eggs, some medical, some financial, some just about how to take care of myself through it.
About the clinic and the process itself
How many eggs are typically retrieved for someone my age, and what’s considered a reasonable outcome?
Numbers vary a lot by age and individual circumstances. Ask your specific clinic for a realistic range for someone like you, not just an industry-wide average, so you have context for your own results rather than comparing yourself to a number that may not apply.
What happens if I don’t respond well to the medication, and how will we know?
Protocols sometimes need adjusting mid-cycle. Understanding in advance what a “poor response” looks like, and what your clinic does about it, means you won’t be blindsided if your monitoring appointments don’t go exactly as expected.
Is there a possibility my cycle gets cancelled, and under what circumstances?
This can happen, and it’s worth understanding upfront rather than learning about it for the first time in the moment.
About the money
What’s actually included in the quoted price, and what isn’t?
Medication costs, monitoring appointments, anesthesia, and storage fees aren’t always bundled into the initial number you’re given. Ask for an itemized breakdown before you commit to anything.
What are ongoing storage costs, and what happens if I stop paying them?
Storage is a recurring cost most people don’t think about at the time of freezing. Ask what the annual fee is and what your clinic’s policy is if payments lapse.
Are there financing options, and what are the real terms?
If cost is a barrier, ask specifically about interest rates and repayment terms before agreeing to anything, not just whether financing exists.
About my own body and health
Based on my specific hormone levels, what’s a realistic expectation for this cycle?
I wish I’d asked for a more individualized conversation about my own AMH and other markers, rather than absorbing general statistics that didn’t necessarily apply to my specific numbers.
What symptoms during stimulation are normal, and what should prompt me to call the clinic?
Knowing the difference in advance saved me a lot of anxious uncertainty during the process. Ask for specifics, not just “call if something feels wrong.”
What’s the recovery timeline really like, and should I plan to take time off?
Ask about your specific procedure and clinic’s typical recovery pattern, rather than assuming you’ll bounce back the same day.
About what happens after
What happens to my eggs if the clinic closes, merges, or changes ownership?
This is a question almost nobody thinks to ask, and it matters more than people realize given how often fertility clinics get acquired or restructured.
Is there a time limit on how long eggs can be stored?
Policies vary, and it’s worth understanding this before you’re years into paying storage fees on eggs you assumed had no expiration.
If I never use these eggs, what are my options?
Donation, research, or disposal are typically the choices, and it’s easier to think through this calmly in advance than to face the decision later under different circumstances.
The one I almost didn’t ask
Is there support available if this is emotionally harder than I expect?
I didn’t ask this directly, and I wish I had. Many clinics have a referral list for fertility-specific therapists or support groups, but you often have to ask for it, it’s rarely offered upfront.
Questions to ask before freezing your eggs: bring this list with you
If you’re preparing for a consultation, it might help to bring this list with you, or a version of it in your own words. No question here is a “silly” one to ask, the clinics that make you feel otherwise are worth reconsidering.