Egg freezing is a method that allows women to preserve their eggs for future use. It is a popular option for women who want to postpone their pregnancy due to personal or medical reasons. However, one of the primary concerns of egg freezing is its cost. The average egg freezing cost california can range from $10,000 to $20,000. The cost may vary depending on several factors such as the clinic’s location, the number of eggs to be frozen, and the woman’s age. Some clinics may also charge additional fees for consultations, ultrasounds, and medications. Despite the high cost, many women choose to invest in egg freezing as it offers them the flexibility to start a family when they are ready.
Egg retrieval procedure
Once blood tests and ultrasounds confirm that your follicles have matured, you will visit your clinic to get a “trigger shot.” This shot will induce the final maturation of your eggs.
Within 36 hours of the trigger shot, you will have to return to the clinic for the egg retrieval procedure. This procedure is relatively short and will take only 30 minutes. You’ll be under a mild sedative during the egg retrieval procedure.
Cryopreservation
After successful egg retrieval, we will take the eggs to a laboratory. Then, in the laboratory, the freezing process will start.
A newer cryo-vitrification technique, known as “flash freezing”, freezes the eggs instantly at sub-zero temperatures. With this technique, your eggs will have minimal risk to their quality.
What are the other costs of egg freezing?
Some clinics may not include all the costs when going over the egg freezing process. However, there are other costs that you may need to consider.
- Fertility medications
A physician will prescribe fertility medications that will be used to stimulate your ovaries during your egg freezing cycle.
Since most medication prescriptions are filled by outside pharmacies, the cost may not be included in your cycle. This can be an expensive part of egg freezing, sometimes costing thousands of dollars. Some pharmaceutical companies have discounts on fertility medication. This is an option worth exploring to keep the fertility medication cost down.
- Anesthesia
The cost of anesthesia used during the egg retrieval procedure can be charged separately from the rest of the cycle. This is because anesthesia is administered by an outside provider who visits the clinic only for the procedure.
The provider bills for their services separately. This does vary by clinics since some may have an anesthesiologist on staff.
- Storage
Storage fees for frozen eggs also change on a yearly basis. The cost is excluded from the overall price of an egg freezing cycle.
Clinics may use a separate storage facility that charges its own fees. Also, the specialized equipment and facilities required to safely care for frozen eggs are expensive. The amount of time you are planning to store your eggs will be an important factor in your total cost.
Frozen eggs can be stored for about 10 years without any loss in their quality. Although, thanks to the new and enhanced methods of freezing and storage, they can now be stored much longer.
Average cost of Freezing Eggs in different Cities and Regions of the U.S.A
|
New York |
$17,773 |
|
San Francisco |
$15,600 |
|
Los Angeles |
$14,850 |
|
Chicago |
$16,666 |
|
Boston |
$13,800 |
|
New Jersey |
$17,550 |
|
Seattle |
$15,137 |
|
Atlanta |
$16,550 |
|
San Diego |
$12,000 |
Cost of Egg Freezing Services with RSMC, San Diego, California
| RSMC | Other CA Egg Freezing Clinics | |
|---|---|---|
|
ONE egg freezing cycle |
$8,850 |
$12,800 |
|
1. Office visits during your stimulations |
Yes |
Yes |
|
2. Pelvic ultrasounds during your stimulations |
Yes |
Yes |
|
3. Estrogen blood tests during stimulation |
Yes |
Yes |
|
4. Anesthesia by physician |
Yes |
Yes |
|
5. Egg retrieval by physician |
Yes |
Yes |
|
6. Laboratory fees: Egg culture & freezing |
Yes |
Yes |
|
7. surgical suite fee & supplies |
Yes |
Yes |
|
8. Endocrine labs |
Yes |
Yes |
|
9. Egg cryopreservation storage |
Yes, 1 year |
Yes, 1 year |
|
|
|
|
|
Initial egg freezing exam |
free |
$300 |
|
Additional yearly cryo storage |
$800 |
$800 per year |
|
Medications |
Extra |
Extra |
|
|
|
|
|
Two cycle egg freezing package |
$14,160 |
$21, 750 |
Will Freezing My Eggs Save Me Money In The Long Term?
The upfront cost of egg freezing may seem like a significant amount, especially to women in the early stages of their careers. This is usually when they are most likely to choose this option.
However, egg freezing is a wise investment if you look at the long-term advantages.
Using younger eggs for IVF when you are ready guarantees a much higher success rate than using eggs that have aged as you get older. This may also lead to fewer IVF cycles before becoming pregnant. Using frozen eggs is also less expensive than a fresh IVF cycle. There are many factors which need to be check, such as:
- At what age the eggs are going to be frozen
- When do you want to become pregnant
- Your personal medical and fertility history
So yes, freezing your eggs when you’re young will save you money in the long term.
What should I know before choosing a clinic for egg freezing?
Undoubtedly, the clinic you are opting for egg freezing plays a key role in the process. Here is a list of things that you should consider before choosing an egg freezingegg freezing cost california clinic for your treatment.
- Look at your insurance policy
Generally, the cost of egg freezing is not covered by an insurance policy, but the cost associated with the initial consultation and early tests could be.
Going in for a fertility check-up is a smart move, especially for women who are in their late twenties to early thirties and who know when they want to conceive in the future. Diagnostic procedures and tests may also be covered under most medical insurance policies. If you have a serious medical reason for preserving your fertility (i.e. you’re about to begin cancer treatment), some insurance policies may be willing to cover more of the process.
RSMC offers financial consultation for the patients to help in availing of the insurance advantages.
- Get an itemized list of what’s included
Not every clinic structures its fees the same way.
There will be different options, and each will have a different price. Find out what’s included in each option to determine how can you save on the overall cost.
- Learn about your ovarian function
This stage may also be covered by medical insurance, but even if you are paying for this, it’s a fairly low-cost process.
The first step for anyone considering egg freezing is to find out how their ovaries are producing right now. Blood tests and ultrasounds are used to determine how many eggs you have and how effective your ovaries are at producing mature eggs when you ovulate. This portrait of your ovarian function will be important for everything that comes next.
How many eggs you should freeze?
The number of eggs that you should freeze is dependent upon your current age. The younger you are, the fewer eggs you need to freeze.
The precise number of eggs cannot be estimated, although ovarian reserve tests and your medical history will help your physician to estimate the ideal number of eggs to freeze. Each cycle is charged separately, so knowing the approximate number of eggs will help you plan financially.
Conclusion
Life moves very quickly when you’re young. From your twenties to your forties – education, careers, and relationships are priorities, but your biological clock doesn’t stop ticking in the background. Egg freezing provides a way for you to pause your biological clock while you accomplish career and personal goals first, including in California where the egg freezing cost can be a concern.
Good information and education are your best allies at every stage of your fertility journey, including understanding the egg freezing cost in California. You can always ask about financing options, including payment plans that spread the cost into affordable monthly payments. Thinking about the financial side of fertility can be stressful and that is why we maintain complete transparency with our patients regarding egg freezing costs.
Reproductive Sciences Medical Center in San Diego is among the top egg freezing agencies in California, with experienced fertility specialists who can guide you through the process and provide you with the most up-to-date information on the egg freezing cost California. If you are planning to freeze your eggs to preserve your fertility for the future and want more information, schedule a consultation today or visit our website to explore other useful resources on egg freezing costs in California.
