Preserve Your Fertility with Egg Freezing in Melbourne

Egg freezing is one of the most significant decisions you may make about your reproductive future. Women's Health Melbourne offers a multidisciplinary team, led by Dr Raelia Lew, one of Australia's foremost fertility specialists.

Raelia is the lead author of the ANZSREI ACCEPT consensus statement, Australia and New Zealand's first national clinical guideline on on elective egg freezing. She has been a researcher and clinical champion of egg freezing for more than two decades, co-developing the Egg Freezing Australia online calculator tool with Melbourne IVF and co-authoring a novel egg freezing decision aid validated by randomised controlled trial. She developed the national standard that clinics across Australia, including our own in Caulfield and Collingwood, are guided by.

Why choose egg-freezing specialist Dr Raelia Lew?

Dr Raelia Lew is a CREI-certified fertility specialist, a postgraduate qualification in IVF and assisted reproductive technology held by fewer than 2% of obstetricians and gynaecologists in Australia and New Zealand. She is President Elect of ANZSREI, Medical Director of Women's Health Melbourne and Melbourne IVF, and holds a PhD in Clinical Genetics from the University of Sydney, with a visiting fellowship at the University of Cambridge. She is a Clinical Senior Lecturer at the University of Melbourne and a published researcher and invited international conference speaker.

Over more than two decades, Raelia has been at the forefront of egg freezing research and clinical practice in Australia. She is lead author of the ANZSREI ACCEPT consensus statement, which is the national clinical guideline for elective egg freezing. She is also co-developer of the Egg Freezing Australia calculator tool, and co-author of an egg freezing decision aid validated by randomised controlled trial. She also hosts the Knocked Up podcast, where she has spoken directly about the egg freezing journey, including episodes dedicated to elective egg freezing and fertility preservation.  

While many clinics follow Raelia's guidelines, Women's Health Melbourne gives you the opportunity to work directly with her as your treating specialist.

YOUR GUIDE TO EGG FREEZING IN MELBOURNE

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What is egg freezing, and how does it work?

Egg freezing is the process of collecting and storing your unfertilised eggs so they can be used for IVF later in life. Think of it as becoming your own future, younger egg donor.

The eggs are preserved using a technique called vitrification: an ultra-rapid freezing method that uses cryoprotectants to prevent ice crystal formation. More than 85% of vitrified eggs are expected to survive the warming process without damage. Once stored in liquid nitrogen, eggs can remain frozen indefinitely without any deterioration in quality.

Egg freezing works best when done earlier, as egg quality and quantity naturally decline with age, and frozen eggs retain the quality they had at the time of collection.

Why might this be important to think about now?

When women reach the age of 30, fertility rates begin to drop. You are born with around 1-2 million eggs, and no new eggs are produced. By age 30, approximately 12% of your egg supply is left, and by 40, this drops to around 3%. Egg quality also declines with age, and the risks of abnormalities increase after 35. Unlike men who produce sperm constantly from stem cells throughout their adult lives, women rely on eggs formed when they themselves were a fetus. Eggs wait a long time before they are ovulated and have a chance to make babies.

The earlier you act on this, the more eggs of better quality you have, which creates a higher chance of a future pregnancy.

What are the success rates for egg freezing?

Egg-freezing success rates for women under 35 are now comparable to those of IVF for the same age group. Here's what the evidence tells us about outcomes at each stage:

  • 80-90% of frozen eggs are expected to survive warming

  • 1 in 2 eggs will fertilise normally

  • 2 in 3 fertilised eggs will develop to the cleavage stage

  • 1 in 5 eggs will reach the blastocyst stage

  • 1 in 3 blastocysts will result in a live birth

International studies suggest a live birth rate of around 6–12% per egg warmed. For women under 35, we generally recommend freezing 20–30 eggs to give yourself the best chance of a future pregnancy (which often means completing two cycles).

Not every cycle will reach your target number, and this is normal. For women with lower ovarian reserve, more cycles may be needed. This is something we plan for with you from the outset, so you're not caught off guard.

Success rates are influenced by age at the time of freezing, egg quality, and the number of mature eggs retrieved. Our team will clearly and transparently discuss realistic expectations at your planning appointment.

The step-by-step egg freezing process

  • Your cycle begins with hormone injections to stimulate the development of multiple follicles. Three types of medication are typically used: follicle-stimulating hormones, ovulation-suppressing medication, and a trigger injection. We use a GnRH antagonist protocol to minimise the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS). Monitoring ultrasounds guide the process throughout.

  • Egg collection is performed under sedation using transvaginal ultrasound aspiration. All up, this procedure takes around 20–30 minutes.

  • Once collected, your eggs are examined by an embryologist to select the mature, healthy eggs that are suitable for freezing.

  • The suitable eggs are rapidly vitrified and stored in liquid nitrogen, where they can remain indefinitely until you're ready to use them.

The full treatment cycle takes approximately 10 to 14 days, and most women continue their normal routine throughout the monitoring period. We recommend two days off around the time of egg collection. Sexual activity and contact sports should be avoided during stimulation and in the days immediately following collection. Head here for a more specific timeline and process.

How to prepare for egg freezing

For patients beginning an egg freezing cycle, we recommend the following process one month before treatment to give your eggs the best environment to develop in:

Supplements (begin one month before treatment):

  • Folic acid 500 mcg daily

  • Vitamin D 1000 IU daily

  • Melatonin 4 mg before bed

Lifestyle:

  • Quit smoking (ideally at least three months before treatment)

  • Avoid alcohol during your treatment cycle

  • Limit caffeine to one espresso per day

Additional support:

  • Some patients may benefit from androgen priming before their cycle begins

  • High-dose antioxidants may be prescribed based on your individual situation

  • Personalised supplement recommendations will be made at your planning appointment

  • Acupuncture may support blood flow to the ovaries and help manage stress and side effects; sessions with our team member, Mandi Azoulay, are available

What to expect during the egg freezing journey

We start with a fact-finding appointment to discuss your medical history, goals, and any preliminary investigations. From there, you'll be registered as a patient with a CREI-trained fertility specialist and progress through a series of multidisciplinary appointments before your treatment cycle:

  1. A planning appointment with your fertility specialist to personalise your treatment strategy

  2. An appointment with an ANZICA-qualified fertility counsellor to explore your plans and any legal considerations

  3. An appointment with a specialist fertility nurse to walk through your medications and cycle instructions

We also use a personalised scheduling app called Cycle Guide to help you track your treatment milestones.

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Egg freezing costs at Women's Health Melbourne

Egg freezing at Women's Health Melbourne is performed through Melbourne IVF, with elective egg freezing cycles priced from $4,599 in laboratory and cycle fees. Additional costs apply for day surgery, anaesthesia, medications, and annual storage. Planning appointments ahead of a treatment cycle are charged separately to in-cycle costs. 

Medicare and private health fund rebates are generally available for medically indicated egg freezing (for example, before cancer treatment or in cases of premature ovarian insufficiency) but not for elective social egg freezing. Melbourne IVF offers flexible payment options, which our team can discuss with you at your consultation.

This is a significant investment, and the above information should give you a clearer sense of what you're investing in: specialist care delivered to Australia's own national clinical standard, at a clinic where your treating doctor helped write that standard.

GET STARTED

If you are contemplating egg freezing and would like to know more about your options, contact Women's Health Melbourne to arrange a Well Woman Fertility Health Check assessment.

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EGG FREEZING AT WOMEN'S HEALTH MELBOURNE

  • DR RAELIA LEW

    CREI Fertility Specialist
    Medical Director of Women’s Health Melbourne and Melbourne IVF

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  • MANDI AZOULAY

    Integrative Chinese Medicine Practitioner and Acupuncturist

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  • WENDY FEDELE

    Clinical Dietitian

    read bio

Is egg freezing right for you?

Some of the most common reasons why women consider egg freezing include:

  • Wanting to preserve fertility while waiting for the right time or partner

  • A diagnosis of endometriosis, premature ovarian insufficiency, or another condition affecting fertility

  • Upcoming medical treatment, including chemotherapy or radiation

  • Genetic considerations that may affect fertility or the risk of heritable conditions

  • General concern about age-related egg quality decline

The decision to freeze your eggs is personal, and there's no single right answer. First, ensure you can afford it, and then ask yourself if it will provide greater peace of mind. It is also important to consider how many cycles you might need. 


It may be helpful to note that counselling with our ANZICA-qualified fertility counsellor is a standard part of every egg freezing journey at Women's Health Melbourne. We take the emotional side of fertility care seriously, and Raelia has spoken openly about the emotional realities of egg freezing on her Knocked Up podcast.

FREEZING 30 EGGS AT AGE 30

Provides a greater than 90% probability of being able to have two babies.

FAQS ABOUT EGG FREEZING

  • Indefinitely. Vitrified eggs do not deteriorate over time when stored correctly in liquid nitrogen.

  • Yes, though fewer eggs may be retrieved per cycle, which may mean additional cycles are needed to reach your target number.

  • You can choose to keep them in storage, have them discarded, or even donate them. Your fertility counsellor will walk you through the legal framework around each option.

  • Egg freezing is generally safe, but risks include bleeding, infection, premature ovulation, empty follicle syndrome, or retrieval of eggs that are unsuitable for freezing. As with any fertility treatment, freezing eggs cannot guarantee a future pregnancy.

  • Yes. Embryo cryopreservation and ovarian tissue cryopreservation are alternatives in certain circumstances. Your specialist will advise on the most appropriate approach for your situation.

  • Your eggs are warmed, and the mature eggs are fertilised using ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection). The best-quality embryos are then transferred in a standard IVF cycle. A pregnancy test is taken approximately 10 days after transfer.

  • The most common reason women cite when they decide to freeze their eggs is the lack of a partner currently committed to a long term relationship or ready to have a baby. The modern woman is well educated and aware of how age has negative and progressively serious effects on fertility. This can cause significant anxiety and stress for women who know they one day want to become mothers. Egg freezing is a significant investment in wellbeing, future fertility and self care.

    However the financial commitment can mean forgoing other needs or opportunities at that time and this can be a source of emotive reflection.

    Finally the egg freezing process itself can feel very emotional, confronting fears of self injecting medications (ultimately the majority of women take this in their stride with pride at the accomplishment). Hormone changes during egg freezing are temporary and contextually expected but can nevertheless feel intense.

Academic References

Lew R, Foo J, Kroon B, et al. ANZSREI consensus statement on elective oocyte cryopreservation (ACCEPT). Australian and New Zealand Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. 2019.

Lew R. Natural history of ovarian function including assessment of ovarian reserve and premature ovarian failure. Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2019;55:2–13. PMID: 30420162

Peate M, Sandhu S, Braat S, Hart R, Norman R, Parle A, Lew R, Hickey M. Randomized control trial of a decision aid for women considering elective egg freezing: The Eggsurance study protocol. Women's Health. 2022. PMID: 36448651

Sandhu S, Hickey M, Lew R, et al. The development and phase 1 evaluation of a Decision Aid for elective egg freezing. BMC Med Inform Decis Mak. 2023;23(1):83. PMID: 37147687

Additional peer-reviewed references available on request.

Women's Health Melbourne locations

Interested in taking the first step? This can be done at our Caulfield and Collingwood clinics. To arrange an initial consultation, contact our team.