I’m 39 and I froze my eggs at 37 years old. Based on my experience this is how to go about freezing your eggs at 37 (or any age).

When I first froze my eggs – it was all very fresh and too raw to write about, talk about on Instagram or Tik Tok.

I had my support system of family and friends who were my rocks during this time. And of course my dog: Roo – well she didn’t realize it was how I got through this process to start.

And because of what I just mentioned: I wasn’t sure if I would ever write this blog post.

I have thought about it a lot over the last year two years. Mainly I needed time to really reconcile with the idea of freezing my eggs and why I was moving forward with this procedure at age 37.

From the outside looking in – it’s a medical procedure but it has emotional undertones and there were reasons it really hit me from a lot of different angles. Of course everyone is different and probably more pragmatic than I can be but it was a tough decision for me.

Why might you freeze eggs at 37 (or earlier)?

You’re single and want to have an insurance policy of sorts for having kids in the future either on your own or with a significant other.

It’s accessible – your work offers a payment program for it or covers the procedure entirely.

You aren’t ready to have kids with your current significant other but want to down the road and not sure if you will be able to. One’s fertility can become uncertain the older you get.

The first reason was one of the main reasons I froze my eggs – I was in my mid/late thirties and still single – it was not free or covered by insurance for me, the procedure was going to be an out of pocket expense. (I am completely aware that this is not doable for many but I was in a position to pay for this.)

Regardless of my plan to freeze my eggs with Spring Fertility (this egg freezing clinic came recommended by other friends who had used them) – Covid pushed my plan slightly but once the clinics reopened for voluntary medical procedures I continued with my plan.

How to Pick which Clinic to Freeze Your Eggs with.

For many women – insurance doesn’t cover egg freezing – so your choice is likely going to be dictated by price.

However, wherever you go it’s fairly nominal change in cost from clinic to clinic. Mostly, you can rely on referrals and online reviews when choosing a clinic.

Talking to friends and finding out which clinic they used coupled with your own research is the best way.

Spring Fertility came via a recommendation and also through my own research.

A lot of women face the tough of decision of whether or not they should freeze their eggs because as I mentioned before there are a lot of unknowns and a lot of ducks to get in a row.

Here are some things to understand if you’re considering freezing your eggs at 37 (or any age).

Why am I freezing them? Is it worth freezing your eggs at 30 or 35 or 39?

How expensive is egg freezing?

Egg freezing is wildly expensive. It can range between 10K-20k depending on where you do it. The cost of the drugs needed are added into that cost.

What are the steps in the egg freezing process?

The process is about a 10-12 day process where you inject yourself with various hormones – it can be done all at once or once in the morning and once in the evening. Check with your doctor to see what their preference is.

Tip: if you are too nervous or emotional to give yourself the shots – there are services that send nurses to your home to administer the shots for you (and mix the medicine, etc).

For some doing this themselves isn’t a problem but it wasn’t something I could do for myself.

There are every other day check ups with your doctor and frequent blood drawings. (So if you are not a fan of needles – this process is excruciating.)

Once your doctor has determined the eggs are at the point where they are ready to be removed – there is a egg retrieval, where you are put under. The retrieval is pretty short – about 30 mins – but takes some time before and after to arrive and get situated.

The recovery is very easy and does not take long.

Is egg freezing dangerous?

I would say no – for the average healthy woman, it’s very safe. However, consult with your doctor about any concerns or medical conditions you might have.

These are all important questions and not to be taken lightly. I would venture to say that the main reason many women hold off on egg freezing or don’t do it at all is because of the cost or because they are able to become pregnant sporadically with a significant other.

Whatever you decide – make sure it’s right for you.

Consider your mental and emotional health, if you can handle giving yourself shots of medicine for 10 days and getting your blood drawn. Are you comfortable having surgery with anesthesia. Are you still in your 20s or early 30s and it might be too prudent to move forward with the process.

Where do the eggs go once they are retrieved and frozen?

Most clinics and hospitals work with a company that stores and freezes your eggs – there is an annual fee for this.

Freezing your eggs at 37 is for sure a good age to do so – if you’re sure this is the correct path for you!

Try these items to help make your recovery comfortable!