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Is egg freezing painful? Is it safe?

Dr Raelia Lew

Written by Dr Raelia Lew — Fertility Specialist & Gynaecologist

Published · 2 min read

Reviewed by Dr Raelia Lew

In this article

Key takeaways

  • Egg freezing injections use very thin needles that only need to go into a pinch of skin, similar to an insulin pen or Epi-pen.
  • Icing the injection site for a minute beforehand can numb the area and minimise both pain and bruising.
  • After egg collection, most women only need paracetamol at home, having been given painkillers and a heat pack immediately after the procedure.
Is egg freezing painful? Is it safe?

Woman with her top rolled up pinching her belly and holding an injection pen against her abdomen

Egg freezing is an amazing technology. At Women’s Health Melbourne, we are committed not only to achieving a woman’s best possible outcome through egg freezing, but also in minimising the impact that treatment has on her life.

There are some elements of egg freezing that can be uncomfortable, but the experience is not painful for most women in our hands and is very safe.

Medications to prepare the ovary for egg collection

You have probably heard that these medicines are given by injection and it’s true. However, the idea is always a lot worse than the reality – they don’t really hurt a lot.

The injection doesn’t need to go deep – just into a pinch or fold of skin, and the needles themselves are very thin. If you have ever seen anyone use an insulin pen or an Epi-pen, it’s exactly like that (not like when you have a vaccine jab). One trick I recommend to reduce discomfort further is to ice the area for a minute first which makes the reach numb, absolutely minimising any pain and bruising.

Choosing your medications carefully and cleverly can effectively reduce your risk of hyperstimulation, your discomfort in treatment, any medication side-effects and even the cost of treatment.

Vaginal ultrasound scan assessments

These can be a little uncomfortable but shouldn’t hurt.

**The egg collection procedure
**

Women’s Health Melbourne partners with Life Fertility Clinic Melbourne to provide our patients with the safest possible treatment and most comfortable experience for egg collection. Your egg collection procedure will be performed at Melbourne IVF Procedure Centre, Melbourne’s newly built Day Hospital. While you are comfortably asleep, your eggs will be gently collected. When you wake up a few minutes later you may feel a little crampy, like period pain. We will give you safe and gentle painkillers an a heat pack immediately to ensure you remain pain free. When you go home, you should only need paracetamol for pain relief if anything. Meanwhile, you eggs will be safely frozen in time in our amazing laboratory.

Dr Raelia Lew, fertility specialist at Women's Health Melbourne, smiling in a pink blouse against a blue background

Considering Egg Freezing?

Dr Raelia Lew and the Women's Health Melbourne team can talk through what's right for your circumstances.

Book a consultation or call 03 9041 9082

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