Should I freeze my eggs?
It’s a question I remember asking myself in my early thirties after a chat with my then boss. She was older than I was and we were talking about trying to have a family, options, adoption, etc.
“Freeze your eggs, honey.”
I remember thinking it was a funny comment. (Did I mention she was my boss?) But I was probably 32 or something. A comment like that becomes less funny and more real as the clock ticks on.
I have always worked in broadcast news. It’s a career that can have you bouncing from job to job and city to city as you climb up the ladder. But it doesn’t make meeting someone and having a stable relationship and family very easy.
I was lucky though. I met my wonderful husband at the age of 33 and by 36, I was pregnant with our first son. So, enough out of me when it comes to egg freezing. Let’s talk to someone who’s actually done it.
Britt’s decision to freeze her eggs
I’ve worked with Britt McHenry for almost 3 years now and she’s one of the sweetest people you could hope to meet. A simple google search will show you her impressive resume and all she’s accomplished by the age of 34.
Britt says she’s always wanted a child. She’s in a relationship now, but she and her boyfriend aren’t trying to have a baby at this moment. Britt also has a pre-existing condition. In early 2020, she had brain surgery after a large tumor was discovered. Britt is okay now, but her tumor will grow back eventually. So, she decided it was time to freeze her eggs.
Britt asked herself, “Do you want to wait until it’s too late to try? Or would you rather invest now to ensure yourself a fighting chance? If you’re going to bet on anything in life, bet on yourself – and modern medicine.”
Egg harvesting is not cheap
Should I freeze my eggs? For many women, the answer to that question may come fast once they hear the cost. Britt tells me her procedure was about $13,000. And when it comes to insurance coverage, she was displeased with hers. However, more and more companies are starting to cover, at least, some of it.
On the topic of coverage, Britt brings up a great point.
“I think collectively we ALL should speak up and fight for insurance companies to start covering women’s reproductive rights. When people say we need more diversity and women in Congress… this is why.”
The process
Britt says emotionally, she found the process challenging. You have to get on the birth control pill to get you on a schedule. Cue the hormones.
Britt had not been on the pill and doing so actually oversuppressed her follicle growth. So, if you haven’t been on the pill before this process, be sure to tell your doctors.
In addition, leading up to egg retrieval day, Britt did about 7 days of hormone shots, up to 3 times a day! Hormone-palooza! Britt says if you have a partner, they must exude patience. You may find yourself crying at commercials and even Star Wars, like Britt.
On the day of egg retrieval, clear your schedule because you will likely be tired. Use it to catch up on your shows. Britt recommends Firefly Lane on Netflix. And, if I may, Succession on HBO is one of my favorites right now. I’m in love with Jeremy Strong, but that’s a story for another day.
Britt says it takes about a week to 10 days for your body to shed the excess water weight from the hormones. Also, prepared to pee… a lot! It’s the body’s way of shedding water weight naturally.
An important note
Britt came away with 8 eggs on the day of surgery. She says if the eggs don’t end up surviving thaw, she’ll do another round. That’s right… not all eggs will survive thaw. You can read more about how it works here.
If you are considering this, and you have the means, you may want to consider having your eggs fertilized. Britt tells me embryos actually freeze better and are more likely to survive thaw.
Takeaway tips
- Check with your insurance for possible coverage
- Britt says – ask questions. There are no dumb questions!
- Before your injection, ice where you plan to inject and alternate sides from day to day
- Take care and relax after your egg retrieval
Should I freeze my eggs?
I want to thank Britt for helping with this article, and I will leave you with her words. Since she’s the expert and I’m just the one thinking about how good Succession is.
If your answer is yes and you go through with the process, here’s what Britt has to say:
“You invest so much money into it and set such high expectations… it’s easy to really get down on yourself… No matter what you retrieve, just stay happy and proud of yourself.”
