Egg Freezing in Spain: April 2024 average price

Egg freezing, also known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a medical procedure that allows women to preserve their fertility by freezing and storing their eggs for future use. This process involves several steps and protocols. As it requires to have a consultation from a fertility Doctor you also have to think through and know in advance if the fertility clinic that stores your eggs in its bio bank will also be your fertility clinic in the future for your ivf procedure.

The process begins with an initial consultation with a reproductive endocrinologist or fertility specialist. During this consultation, the doctor will review the patient's medical history, discuss their reproductive goals and reasons for considering egg freezing, and explain the egg freezing process, including the risks, benefits, and success rates. Before proceeding with egg freezing, the patient undergoes ovarian reserve testing to assess the quantity and quality of their eggs. This may include blood tests to measure hormone levels, such as anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), as well as transvaginal ultrasound to count the number of ovarian follicles.

Once ovarian reserve testing is completed and deemed satisfactory, the patient begins the process of ovarian stimulation, also known as controlled ovarian hyperstimulation (COH). This involves taking hormone injections, typically for about 10-14 days, to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs instead of the single egg that is typically released each month during the menstrual cycle. The fertility hormones usually count for 25% of the final cost of your egg freezing process.

Throughout the ovarian stimulation phase, the patient undergoes regular monitoring with blood tests and transvaginal ultrasound to assess ovarian response and follicle development. The doctor adjusts the dosage of hormone medications as needed based on these monitoring results to optimize egg production and minimize the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), a potential complication of ovarian stimulation.

Egg retrieval: Once the ovarian follicles reach a sufficient size, the patient undergoes a minor surgical procedure called egg retrieval or oocyte retrieval. This procedure is typically performed under sedation or anesthesia and involves using a thin needle guided by ultrasound to aspirate the fluid and eggs from the ovarian follicles. The retrieved eggs are then immediately transported to the laboratory for evaluation and cryopreservation. In the laboratory, the retrieved eggs are evaluated for maturity and quality. Mature eggs that meet the criteria for freezing are cryopreserved using a process called vitrification, which involves rapidly cooling the eggs to ultra-low temperatures to prevent the formation of ice crystals that can damage the delicate egg structure. The cryopreserved eggs are then stored in liquid nitrogen tanks until they are needed for future use.

The cryopreserved eggs can be stored for an extended period, typically several years, without significant degradation in quality. During this time, the patient may choose to undergo additional egg freezing cycles to increase the number of eggs stored or use the stored eggs for fertility treatment, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), when they are ready to conceive. Periodic follow-up appointments with the fertility specialist may be recommended to monitor ovarian reserve and discuss future reproductive options.

Egg freezing offers women the opportunity to preserve their fertility and reproductive options by allowing them to freeze and store their eggs for future use. It's essential for women considering egg freezing to consult with a fertility specialist to discuss your individual circumstances, goals, and options, and to undergo thorough medical evaluation and counseling before proceeding with the procedure.

The cost of an egg freezing can be split between fertility hormons + egg retrieval + yearly storage and overall management.

In practice, you have to decide if the clinic that store your eggs will be your fertility clinic but also check availability and yearly storage costs.

Spain has more than 350 hospitals. There is a good mix in Spain of private clinic Groups (like Quiron Salud) and public hospitals. The country covers all types of treatments but people go mainly in Barcelona or Madrid for plastic surgery, ivf with oocytes donation, dental implants and bariatric surgery.