Under what circumstances can women apply for egg freezing in China?

If eggs are compared to a bunch of grapes, egg freezing is a process of "picking grapes—drying grapes—freezing and preserving raisins." The difference is that current medical technology allows frozen eggs to be fully thawed and reused, meaning the "raisins" can be restored to plump "grapes."

The main purpose of egg freezing is to preserve fertility—that is, freezing a certain number of eggs before fertility significantly declines due to factors like age, tumors, or surgery, for future reproductive needs. After all, women have a much shorter reproductive window compared to men, and menopause in their 40s or 50s signifies the depletion of ovarian function.

Conditions for Applying for Egg Freezing

Under China's legal framework, egg freezing is permitted under the following conditions after professional medical evaluation:

• Couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment may freeze eggs if sperm retrieval fails on the day of egg retrieval, allowing time to obtain sufficient sperm from the partner.

• Women diagnosed with malignant tumors (e.g., breast cancer, leukemia, ovarian tumors) can freeze eggs before undergoing treatments that severely impact ovarian function (e.g., ovarian removal, radiation, or chemotherapy).

• Women with certain benign conditions (primarily ovarian diseases like recurrent ovarian chocolate cysts) may freeze eggs if medical evaluation indicates the ovaries may not withstand treatment (e.g., cyst removal surgery).

It should be noted that under current regulations, single women cannot freeze eggs solely for non-medical reasons like age or delayed marriage.

How is egg freezing performed? What are the steps?

• Steps for Egg Freezing

1. Visit a qualified reproductive center for evaluation by a professional team to assess necessity, feasibility, and legality. Centers can be found on the National Health Commission’s official website.

2. Undergo health examinations, establish a medical record, and sign informed consent forms.

3. Receive hormone injections to stimulate ovulation, monitored via ultrasound and blood tests.

4. Undergo egg retrieval (transvaginal ultrasound-guided needle aspiration), optionally under anesthesia.

5. Wait for confirmation and receive an egg freezing receipt.

Costs vary by center and treatment plan; consult specific hospitals for details.

• Egg freezing typically causes no long-term harm

In most cases, egg freezing poses minimal long-term risks and does not accelerate ovarian decline. Since women naturally release only 1-2 eggs per month, fertility drugs are used to stimulate multiple follicles for retrieval. Temporary side effects like allergies, pelvic pain, or ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome may occur but are not permanently damaging. Special protocols exist for cancer patients to avoid worsening their condition.

How to have a baby after egg freezing?

• IVF is the only option post-freezing

Frozen eggs can only be used via IVF; natural conception by reimplanting eggs is impossible. While storage has no strict time limit, thawing success rates (~70-80%) decline over time. In China, using frozen eggs requires marriage (with spouse’s sperm or donor sperm with consent) and medical approval for pregnancy readiness.

• Babies born from frozen eggs are generally healthy

Studies show no significant differences in development between IVF-conceived children and those conceived naturally. However, as IVF technology is only ~40 years old, long-term effects require further research.