Many necessary cancer treatments, like chemotherapy and radiation, may put your fertility at risk. These treatments potentially damage or cause a reduction in a woman’s egg supply. This may lead to early menopause. With egg freezing, the eggs can be preserved while they are healthy before undergoing treatment. Medications are administered to encourage egg production so that multiple eggs are matured in one cycle. Normally, only one egg is released each month, but harvesting and freezing multiple eggs provides the option for more than one opportunity to conceive when the woman is ready.

To stimulate the ovaries and encourage eggs to mature, you will receive daily hormone injections for approximately 10-12 days. The eggs are then removed from the ovaries during an in-office procedure; you receive anesthesia and will be asleep during this procedure. The eggs are frozen without being fertilized for future use. The entire process takes about 2-3 weeks to complete.

For some individuals, the cost of egg freezing is covered by health insurance. For those that do not have insurance coverage for this procedure, Boston IVF at The Women's Hospital provides a discount on services through our Preservation Hope Program. Patients are provided a 25% discount on services, and the clinical team will work with various programs to get discounted medications — some at no cost.

Your cryopreserved eggs are frozen in time and will be stored in our facility until ready to use. Or, if requested, eggs can be transported to the clinic or bank of your choice.

For male patients, sperm freezing is a valuable option prior to undergoing chemotherapy or radiation. An order is required from the referring provider, typically an oncologist or urologist. Semen collection is obtained, with no pre-collection treatments necessary. The specimen is then cryopreserved and stored at very low temperatures. Boston IVF at The Women’s Hospital offers a Preservation Hope discount for all fertility preservation services with a cancer diagnosis. Please call the financial counselor at 812-842-2039 for pricing information.

To schedule a consultation with a BIVF at TWH provider, call 812-842-4530. Due to the urgency of a cancer diagnosis, our scheduling team will prioritize your appointment to ensure you have an opportunity to discuss your fertility preservation prior to starting your treatment regimen.