How Many Eggs Should I Freeze?
Freezing your eggs is a way to preserve future fertility, but understanding how many eggs you might need, how much it could cost, and what factors influence success can help you make informed, confident choices. While every fertility path is unique, knowing the key details upfront can ease the process and set clearer expectations.
Author
Tassia O’Callaghan
Reviewed by
Kayleigh Hartigan
11 min read
Updated 16th July 2025
Spotlight:
- Freezing at least 15 eggs is typically recommended by clinics to give a reasonable chance at a live birth, though some clinics advise aiming for 20, particularly if you’re over 35 or hoping for multiple children.
- Egg attrition — the natural drop-off from freezing to thawing, fertilisation, and embryo development — means that more eggs increase the overall odds, but no number guarantees success.
- Age at freezing is the biggest factor influencing egg quality, with younger eggs offering the best future pregnancy potential, regardless of how many are frozen.
- Many people need two or more cycles to reach target egg numbers, especially in their late 30s or early 40s, making it important to budget for multiple rounds of treatment.
- If you can’t reach the ideal number, you still have options — such as using the eggs you have, considering embryo freezing, or exploring donor eggs — and even a small batch of good-quality eggs can lead to success.
Why does the number of eggs frozen matter?
The number of eggs frozen plays a critical role in shaping the likelihood of achieving a successful pregnancy in the future. This is because, at every stage — from freezing and thawing to fertilisation and embryo development — a natural and expected process of reduction occurs.
Not every frozen egg will survive thawing, and of those that do, not all will fertilise successfully or progress to the stage of becoming a viable embryo suitable for transfer. This reduction, known as attrition, is a normal part of both natural conception and assisted reproduction. [1,2,3]
As a result, freezing a larger number of eggs increases the overall probability of having one or more embryos available for transfer in future fertility treatments. While no number can guarantee a pregnancy, aiming for a sufficient quantity of eggs allows for better chances of success, particularly for those wishing to preserve the option of having more than one child or those freezing eggs at a later reproductive age. [4,5]
Treatment Essentials: Egg Freezing
Learn more about egg freezing: the steps involved, how much it costs, and whether it’s right for you — in one in-depth guide.
What is a good number of eggs to freeze?
Determining how many eggs to freeze is one of the most important decisions when planning fertility preservation. While there is no single “magic number,” clinical guidelines and research provide useful benchmarks to guide expectations.
Generally speaking, it’s preferable to freeze at least 15 eggs for a reasonable chance of a live birth. [6]
But many clinics, such as CARE Fertility in the UK and Shady Grove Fertility in the US, recommend aiming for a total of around 20 eggs to give yourself the best chance, especially if you are freezing in your mid-to-late 30s or are hoping for multiple children. [7]
More eggs provide more opportunities at each step, from thawing and fertilisation to embryo development and transfer. But even with a higher number of frozen eggs, no outcome can be guaranteed, although collecting enough eggs helps increase the likelihood of having at least one healthy pregnancy later on.
Factors that affect how many eggs you should freeze
Deciding how many eggs to freeze involves balancing personal goals, biological factors, and medical insights — not just aiming for a set number. Several key factors shape this decision:
Your age when freezing
Age plays a defining role in egg freezing success — and not just because of how many eggs you freeze, but because of their biological quality. Data shows that freezing before 35 gives you the highest possible chance that a thawed egg will lead to a baby later. While some may think the age at thaw matters most, evidence shows it’s actually the age at freeze that sets the foundation for success.
Why? Egg quality naturally declines over time. Younger eggs have stronger potential to fertilise, develop into healthy embryos, and result in live birth. By the time you reach your late 30s or early 40s, more cycles — and often more eggs — may be needed to achieve the same chance of success you’d get from fewer, younger eggs.
Despite this, many people currently freezing their eggs in the UK (or abroad) are doing so at age 38 or even later, often when fertility is already in decline. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) explains that for people freezing after 40, the chances of future pregnancy using those eggs become slim. That’s why freezing earlier — if you have the option — generally offers stronger odds. [5]
Your ovarian reserve
Ovarian reserve is your body’s supply of eggs — but knowing how many you have left is only part of the picture. When thinking about egg freezing, ovarian reserve can help estimate how many eggs might be collected in one cycle and whether more than one cycle may be needed to reach your goal.
Clinicians typically use two main tests to assess ovarian reserve: Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) and Antral Follicle Count (AFC). AMH is a hormone produced by small follicles in the ovaries, offering an indirect glimpse into the pool of eggs still available. AFC counts the small follicles directly through ultrasound, usually early in the menstrual cycle. Together, these give a snapshot of egg quantity — but they don’t tell the full story. [8]
It’s important to know that ovarian reserve tests can’t predict egg quality or guarantee pregnancy outcomes. While AMH and AFC help predict how your ovaries may respond to stimulation (and how many eggs might be retrieved), they can’t predict whether those eggs will fertilise or develop into a healthy pregnancy. Age remains the most reliable indicator of egg quality.
Fertility health conditions
Certain health conditions can influence how many eggs are retrieved during a cycle, as well as their quality. These include diagnoses like PCOS, endometriosis, or an increased risk of early menopause. Each condition brings its own considerations when it comes to fertility preservation — from how your body might respond to stimulation medication to the number of eggs likely to be collected. [9]
What’s important to know is that tailored care matters. If you have a known condition that could affect your fertility, your clinic will take this into account when creating your treatment plan. This might mean adjusting stimulation protocols, running extra tests, or talking through additional support options. The aim is always to give you the best possible outcome — physically, emotionally, and clinically — while respecting your health and individual circumstances. [10]
Your budget and the cost of additional cycles
The number of eggs you’re able to collect in one cycle can vary widely — and if you need more than one round of treatment, costs can quickly add up. While the average egg freezing package in the UK is advertised at £3,815, the true cost — including essential extras like blood tests, screening, and medication — is closer to £6,497 per cycle. If you need two or even three rounds to reach your target number of eggs, you could be looking at £13,000–£19,500 before you even factor in long-term storage or future embryo transfer.
That’s why it’s important to approach this with both eyes open. Not everyone will need multiple cycles, but it’s worth budgeting for the possibility upfront. Some clinics offer multi-cycle packages, while others allow pay-as-you-go flexibility. Whatever your approach, transparency on pricing — and clarity on what’s actually included — will help you plan with confidence and avoid financial surprises mid-treatment.
Your emotional bandwidth
Egg freezing isn’t just a physical process — it’s an emotional one, too. The daily hormone injections, the clinic visits, the waiting, the not-knowing — it can all take a toll. While some people feel empowered by the process, others find it exhausting or unexpectedly emotional, especially when navigating uncertainty around results or making decisions about future cycles.
Even with the goal of reaching a certain number of eggs, there often comes a point where the emotional strain outweighs the drive to continue. And that’s valid. Choosing to pause or stop — whether after one cycle or several — isn’t giving up, it’s listening to your needs. You’re allowed to set your own boundaries, and you don’t have to hit a specific number to feel that what you’ve done matters. It does.
Your family-building goals
Whether you want one child or a larger family will affect your target egg number. A plan for multiple children typically involves freezing a higher number of eggs upfront to increase future options.
How many eggs survive the freeze-thaw process?
Thanks to vitrification (a rapid freezing method), survival rates after thawing are now impressively high: around 80–90% of frozen eggs are expected to survive when thawed for use. [2,11,12,13]
This means that if you freeze 10 eggs, typically 8 or 9 will still be viable after thawing. Keep in mind, though, that survival doesn’t automatically guarantee fertilisation or pregnancy — that’s influenced by factors like egg quality at the time of freezing and your age.
How many cycles will I need to get the “right” number of eggs?
The truth is that it varies from person to person as to how many cycles you might need to get the number of eggs recommended by your fertility clinic.
But on average, a single cycle yields around 8 to 12 mature eggs, though this depends on factors like your age, ovarian reserve, and how your body responds to stimulation. For many people, particularly those aiming for a higher number of frozen eggs (often recommended for the best chance at future pregnancy), this means 2 or more retrieval cycles may be needed. [11]
Egg quantity vs. egg quality
When it comes to egg freezing, both quantity and quality matter — but they don’t always go hand in hand. Let’s break it down.
Egg quantity is about how many eggs your ovaries can produce in a given cycle. This is linked to your ovarian reserve, which naturally declines over time. Blood tests like AMH and FSH or an antral follicle count (via ultrasound) help estimate this number. More eggs collected generally means more chances to create embryos, and studies show a positive link between egg numbers and the number of good-quality embryos available for transfer. [14,15]
Egg quality, on the other hand, is mainly influenced by age. As you get older, the proportion of eggs with genetic abnormalities increases, which can affect fertilisation, embryo development, and the chance of pregnancy — even if you have plenty of eggs in reserve. [16,17]
In younger people, having a lower ovarian reserve might still mean high-quality eggs with strong potential. But for those over 35, even with a good ovarian reserve, egg quality becomes the more limiting factor. That’s why egg freezing is often recommended earlier: to preserve younger, healthier eggs for future use. [18]
Ultimately, success with fertility preservation depends on a thoughtful balance of both. Your fertility team will help guide you on what your numbers mean, what realistic outcomes look like for you, and how best to approach your personal goals.
Egg Freezing Cost in the UK
Curious what egg freezing really costs? We’ve broken it down — so you know what to expect, what’s (not) included, and how to plan ahead with confidence.
How much will it cost to freeze “enough” eggs?
If the goal is to freeze at least 15 eggs (widely considered the recommended minimum for a reasonable chance at a future live birth), the reality is: one cycle might not get you there. While one egg freezing cycle in the UK averages £6,497 (including medication), not everyone will collect 15 eggs in a single round — especially if you’re in your mid-to-late 30s, when egg yield typically drops.
That means you may need to budget for multiple cycles, each carrying its own full cost. For two cycles, you’re already looking at roughly £13,000; for three, it could be closer to £19,500 — and that’s before adding long-term storage fees (typically £150–£540 per year) and the cost of using those eggs later (with a frozen egg thaw and embryo transfer averaging around £3,400 per round).
It’s also worth noting that costs vary significantly between clinics. Some bundle services into packages; others charge item by item. What looks cheaper on paper can sometimes turn out more expensive once all necessary extras — like scans, blood tests, and medication — are added.
Planning ahead, asking for a fully itemised treatment plan, and comparing across clinics can help you avoid unwelcome surprises.
What if I can’t reach the “ideal” number of eggs to freeze?
While having more eggs generally improves the odds, the quality of those eggs matters just as much — sometimes more. Even a small number of high-quality eggs can lead to healthy embryos and successful pregnancies.
If egg numbers are lower than hoped, there are still options to consider. You might explore embryo freezing (if you’re freezing eggs with a partner or known sperm donor), look into donor eggs if needed, or plan to move forward with the eggs you do have. Every fertility path is deeply personal — and success looks different for everyone.
Sources
1. https://www.uhcw.nhs.uk/ivf/treatments/cryopreservation/
2. https://www.guysandstthomas.nhs.uk/health-information/fertility-preservation-for-women/freezing-eggs-or-embryos
3. https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/use-of-donor-eggs-information-for-patients/
4. https://www.hfea.gov.uk/treatments/fertility-preservation/egg-freezing/
5. https://www.hfea.gov.uk/about-us/news-and-press-releases/2018/press-release-age-is-the-key-factor-for-egg-freezing-success-says-new-hfea-report-as-overall-treatment-numbers-remain-low/
6. https://fertilitynetworkuk.org/learn-about-fertility/fertility-preservation/
7. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK568234/
8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6505459/
9. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9259927/
10. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8473711/
11. https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/egg-freezing-information-for-patients/
12. https://mft.nhs.uk/saint-marys/services/gynaecology/reproductive-medicine/fertility-preservation-for-patients-diagnosed-with-cancer/
13. https://www.cuh.nhs.uk/patient-information/laboratory-guide-for-patients/
14. https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/34/12/2555/5628883
15. [https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(02)04840-9/fulltext](https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(02)04840-9/fulltext)
16. https://synapse.koreamed.org/articles/1147801
17. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1472648319306005
18. https://mft.nhs.uk/saint-marys/services/gynaecology/reproductive-medicine/what-else-do-i-need-to-know/