The Cost of Freezing Your Eggs – and 15 Ways to Financially Prepare

You might be considering freezing your eggs in anticipation of growing your family in the future. It’s a life-changing decision that can affect you emotionally and financially.

With costs in the tens of thousands of dollars, egg freezing might seem unaffordable. However, having a clear picture of the expenses involved and taking advantage of savings options can help make this decision more accessible. 

What is egg freezing?

During egg freezing — or oocyte cryopreservation — eggs are collected from the ovaries and preserved through freezing. People at risk of future fertility problems sometimes choose to freeze their eggs. Egg freezing also offers some people the choice of delaying parenthood for personal reasons. 

The process of freezing your eggs involves:

• Consultation with a fertility specialist

• Hormone injections to stimulate your ovaries

• Monitoring appointments and tests

• Egg retrieval, the medical procedure to collect your eggs

The egg retrieval procedure is generally done in specialized facilities, such as fertility clinics and reproductive centers.

What is the cost of egg freezing?

The cost to freeze your eggs can range from $10,000 to $15,000 for a single cycle. Depending on the clinic, this price generally includes: 

• Initial consultation 

• Medications 

• Tests and monitoring

• Anesthesia fees

• Egg retrieval procedure

More than one cycle may be needed to gather an adequate number of eggs. This can drive the cost of egg freezing up to about $30,000 to $40,000.  

Your clinic's location may affect the cost of freezing your eggs. For example, you can expect to pay nearly $18,000 for one cycle in New York City. That’s nearly $8,000 higher than the average price of one cycle in Jacksonville, Florida. 

The chart below shows a breakdown of the average cost of egg freezing per cycle in different parts of the country, based on data collected by FertilityIQ. 

Molly Quinn, MD, a reproductive endocrinologist at HRC Fertility, said there’s an additional piece to the cost of egg freezing. Quinn told GoodRx Health, “There's the upfront cost to the embryology lab of harvesting eggs and freezing them. And then, every year, in general, patients pay storage to keep gametes frozen.” 

This storage fee usually amounts to $300 to $500 per year. But the price could be as much as $1,000, depending on what fertility center you choose. In addition, there’s the cost of fertility medications that are needed to stimulate egg production. These medications can add $3,000 to $10,800 to the price tag, if they’re not already included.  

And when you’re ready to get pregnant, there are the costs of fertilizing the eggs — or “to create embryos to undergo an embryo transfer” — Quinn added. This process involves thawing the eggs, performing in vitro fertilization (IVF), and then transferring an embryo, which potentially costs another $4,000 to $8,000. 

What factors affect the cost of egg freezing?

The total cost of egg freezing can vary widely based on several factors, such as:

• Fertility clinic you choose 

• Your geographic location

• Medications required to stimulate your ovaries 

• Regular blood tests and ultrasounds needed  

• Follow-up appointments

• Egg storage fees

• Number of eggs you want to freeze

• Number of egg retrieval cycles needed

• Travel and transportation costs for appointments 

• Cost of anesthesia

Is freezing eggs covered by insurance?

Whether your insurance, if you have it, covers egg freezing depends on the health plan and the type of coverage. Some carriers don’t pay for elective egg freezing. However, they may cover the costs if freezing your eggs is deemed medically necessary. 

The good news is that this is slowly changing. As of June 2023, 21 states require insurance companies to cover fertility treatments. “More and more, employers are covering egg freezing for their employees,” Rachael Jones, APRN, the director of clinical client implementations at WINFertility, told GoodRX Health. “Typically, the only cycle and medication costs, then, are your standard copays and coinsurance.” 

According to Jones, nearly all insurance providers will cover egg freezing if you’re diagnosed with cancer and need to undergo treatment that may impact your fertility. And a few insurers are expanding their coverage to include fertility services as part of gender-affirming care. 

Tips to afford egg freezing

Freezing your eggs is an important decision that can be overwhelming and, ultimately, expensive. Here are 15 tips to help you afford fertility treatment: 

1. Check your health insurance coverage. If you have health coverage, ask your insurer if they offer fertility coverage, including for egg freezing. If they do, find out how many rounds of treatment they cover and what your copays, limits, and deductibles may look like. 

2. Look into state fertility coverage laws. Find out if you live or work in a state with fertility coverage laws, and how these laws apply to you.

3. Save money. If you know your expected costs, you can start saving money for egg freezing from your paycheck every month. Consider creating a sub-savings account to save for fertility expenses. Review interest rates on your savings accounts to ensure you are getting the best rates possible. 

4. Use free GoodRx coupons. Save money on fertility medications through GoodRx.

5. Explore manufacturer savings programs. Some medication manufacturers offer savings programs. Ask about these options to lower your out-of-pocket costs.

6. Consider credit cards. Look into credit cards offering a 0% annual percentage rate (APR) for a promotional period. This can be useful for managing the initial egg-freezing expenses while avoiding high interest fees.

7. Set up crowdfunding. Platforms like GoFundMe allow you to ask friends and family to contribute to your egg-freezing fund.

8. Ask about grants. Some local organizations offer grants for fertility treatments. Look into resources like the Greater Miami Jewish Federation, Fertility for Colored Girls, and LGBTQ+ family building grants.

9. Research your employer benefits. Check with your employer about benefits for fertility treatments beyond what’s offered by your regular health insurance.

10. Compare egg storage options. Look into transferring your eggs to a clinic or storage facility that charges less. Remember to factor in the shipping costs when deciding if it’s worth it, though.

11. Use an HSA or FSA. Health savings accounts (HSA) and flexible spending accounts (FSA) can be used to save money on qualified medical expenses, including egg storage fees.

12. Negotiate with facilities. Don't hesitate to ask fertility clinics about discounts for multiple services. Some clinics may offer reduced rates when you undergo multiple egg-freezing cycles. 

13. Ask about reimbursement policies. Understand clinics’ reimbursement policies. Some may offer refunds if you don't end up using multiple cycles or change your mind.

14. Look for loans. Loans with low interest rates can help you finance your egg-freezing journey. But you should compare loans with other financing options and payment plans offered by clinics.

15. Explore shared donor programs. Look into donor programs like Freeze and Share and Cofertility. These options let you donate some of your frozen eggs to others in need. In return, you receive discounted rates on your egg-freezing costs.  

What is the optimal age to freeze your eggs?

The best time to freeze your eggs is usually between your late 20s and early 30s. It’s a good idea to do it before you turn 38, specifically.

Freezing your eggs at an earlier age can lead to a higher chance of success during a later IVF procedure. According to Quinn, the per-cycle success rate for a 32-year-old is around 50%. However, she said, for a 40-year-old, it decreases to around 20% or even lower. 

“Somebody who’s doing IVF at an older age is going to have a lower success rate and possibly need to undergo multiple treatments,” Quinn said, adding that this may mean several retrieval cycles with all the related expenses and a lower chance of success. 

Questions to ask

As you prepare to begin your egg-freezing journey, take the time to compare facilities. Look for a reputable and affordable clinic. And consider asking the questions below as you shop around: 

• Can you provide information about the success rates of egg freezing at your clinic?

• What types of financing options or payment plans are available?

• Are there any package deals or discounts for multiple cycles?

• Are you in-network for my health plan?

• Can you provide a breakdown of the costs for each stage of the egg-freezing process, including the consultation, medications, monitoring, retrieval, and storage?

• Are there any financial assistance programs or grants available?

• Are there any refunds if I change my mind or decide not to use the frozen eggs?

• Am I required to use your egg storage facility?

• Do you offer a shared donor program to help save on costs?

• Are there any additional fees that I should be aware of?

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Maggie Aime, MSN, RN

Maggie's writing brings health topics to life for readers at any stage of life. With over 25 years in healthcare and a passion for education, she creates content that informs, inspires, and empowers.

Edited by:

Charlene Rhinehart, CPA

Charlene Rhinehart, CPA, is a personal finance editor at GoodRx. She has been a certified public accountant for over a decade.

Reviewed by:

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH

Patricia Pinto-Garcia, MD, MPH, is a medical editor at GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified pediatrician with more than a decade of experience in academic medicine.

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