Why might I need support during egg freezing?

Egg freezing can be an empowering decision, but it can also bring unexpected emotions. From understanding your fertility results to managing treatment and planning for the future, emotional support can make the process easier to navigate.

Egg freezing can seem like a simple solution for women who know they want to be a mum in the future, but not right now. However, the decision to preserve your fertility can bring up feelings you hadn't anticipated, even when you're confident it's the right choice.

Ahead of coming into the clinic, the thought of needing emotional support might seem a little odd. After all, if you've chosen to freeze your eggs, why would you need counselling?

Trisha Patel, one of our fertility coaches at London Women's Clinic, explains why emotional support can be valuable before, during and after egg freezing, and how our team can help you navigate the experience.

Key takeaways

• Egg freezing can bring a mixture of emotions, including excitement, reassurance, uncertainty and anxiety.
• Hormonal medication, treatment expectations and concerns about future fertility can all contribute to emotional challenges.
• Counselling and fertility coaching can help you make informed decisions and manage unexpected feelings throughout treatment.
• Support can also come from partners, friends, family and specialist fertility support organisations.
• London Women's Clinic offers emotional support before, during and after egg freezing, including access to fertility counselling.

What should you consider emotionally before freezing your eggs?

Choosing to freeze your eggs is a significant decision, and it's worth taking time to consider how you feel about the process and what you hope to achieve.

For some women, egg freezing provides reassurance that they've taken a proactive step towards preserving their fertility. For others, it can bring up difficult questions about relationships, ageing, future parenthood or the possibility of not having children.

Before starting treatment, it may help to think about:

• Your reasons for freezing your eggs: Are you hoping to have children in the future, unsure about your plans or feeling pressure to make a decision?
• Your expectations: Do you understand that freezing eggs can provide additional reproductive options but doesn't guarantee a future pregnancy?
• Your support network: Is there someone you feel comfortable talking to about your decision and treatment?
• Your emotional wellbeing: How might you feel if your fertility test results or the number of eggs collected differ from your expectations?
• Your future plans: Have you considered how you might feel about using your frozen eggs, continuing to store them or potentially never needing them?

There's no right or wrong answer to these questions. The aim is to help you feel informed and comfortable with your decision rather than pressured to pursue treatment.

If you're still deciding whether fertility preservation is right for you, our guide to social egg freezing explores the benefits and considerations in more detail.

Why might egg freezing have emotional side effects?

Egg freezing involves physical treatment, important decisions and uncertainty about future outcomes. All of these can affect how you feel throughout the process.

Hormonal changes during treatment

The egg freezing process involves taking hormone medication to stimulate the ovaries, usually through daily injections over approximately 10–14 days.

Some women experience mood changes, irritability, tearfulness or tiredness during treatment. These may be associated with hormonal changes, physical discomfort or the demands of attending appointments and managing injections. However, emotional responses vary, and not everyone experiences significant mood changes.

Anxiety about treatment results

One of the biggest emotional challenges can be uncertainty about the outcome. You might worry about how many eggs will be collected, whether they'll be mature enough to freeze or what your results mean for your future chances of having a baby.

Even after your eggs have been successfully frozen, you may have questions about whether they'll survive thawing and result in a successful pregnancy if you need them later. Understanding the success rates of egg freezing can help you develop realistic expectations, but it's also natural to find this uncertainty difficult.

Feeling isolated or under pressure

Women often choose egg freezing at a time when their friends or family members are at different stages of life. You might be balancing treatment with work commitments, navigating relationships or feeling pressure to make decisions about starting a family.

It can be particularly challenging if the people around you don't fully understand why you've chosen to freeze your eggs or assume that the process is straightforward. You may also feel that because egg freezing was your decision, you should be positive and grateful throughout treatment. In reality, it's possible to feel confident about your choice and still find parts of the experience difficult.

How London Women's Clinic supports you before egg freezing

Understanding your fertility assessment results

"Coming into the clinic and checking your fertility can be the first step towards taking control of your future fertility," says Trisha.

At London Women's Clinic, a fertility health assessment or Fertility MOT involves an anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) blood test to assess ovarian reserve and a pelvic ultrasound scan of your womb and ovaries. One of our specialists will discuss your results alongside your medical history to advise you on your fertility and whether egg freezing may be appropriate.

It's important to understand that ovarian reserve tests help estimate how many eggs your ovaries may produce in response to stimulation. They don't directly measure egg quality or reliably predict whether you'll conceive naturally. For some women, the results provide reassurance. For others, they may be unexpected or raise new questions about their reproductive future.

Accessing counselling before making a decision

"Counselling and support are always available after a Fertility MOT for women who are considering freezing their eggs. Sometimes you might just want to have a chat with someone who understands how big a decision it is or perhaps the results of your tests haven't been what you expected," says Trisha.

As well as providing support over the phone and email, our team can help arrange appointments with a fertility counsellor to talk through your test results or weigh up your options.

Counselling isn't only for people experiencing significant distress. It can also provide a confidential space to explore your feelings, ask questions and make a decision that reflects your circumstances. Find out more about fertility counselling at London Women's Clinic.

Getting emotional support during the egg freezing process

Once you've decided to freeze your eggs, you'll meet with one of our fertility nurses to plan your treatment and learn how to take your medication.

The process is similar to the first part of an IVF cycle. It involves taking medication to stimulate your ovaries for approximately 10–14 days, with regular scans to monitor follicle development. When your eggs are ready for collection, you'll be advised when to take a trigger injection. Egg collection usually takes place around 36 hours later under sedation.

Most women can return to many of their normal activities within a day or two, although recovery varies and you'll need someone to accompany you home after sedation. Our complete guide to the egg freezing process explains each stage in more detail.

You don't have to feel positive all the time

"Fertility treatment can be tough, and I'm always here to chat or have a moan with about having to take injections," says Trisha.

"I often find that women freezing their eggs can be incredibly hard on themselves. They think because they have chosen to do this that they have to be positive all the time which just isn't possible."

Some days you may feel excited and empowered by your decision. On others, you might feel frustrated by injections, anxious about results or simply tired of fitting treatment around everyday life.

These feelings don't mean you've made the wrong choice. Our fertility support team can provide reassurance, answer questions and offer a space to talk about the practical and emotional challenges of treatment.

What support is available after egg freezing?

Once your eggs are safely frozen, you may feel a great deal of satisfaction and reassurance that you've taken a positive step towards preserving your fertility. However, the end of treatment doesn't necessarily mean the end of the emotional journey.

"For some women freezing their eggs can be a reminder of how much they want to have a family," says Trisha.

You may feel relieved that treatment is complete, disappointed by the number of eggs collected or uncertain about what comes next. For this reason, our counselling and support team are available before, during and after treatment.

"I still have calls from women who froze their eggs years ago who just want someone to chat to. Or some women might perhaps be thinking about using their frozen eggs to have a baby now either with a new partner or with a sperm donor."

Whether you're reflecting on your experience or beginning to explore future fertility treatment, you can reach out for support.

Other ways to look after your emotional wellbeing during egg freezing

Alongside professional counselling and fertility coaching, there are practical ways to support your wellbeing throughout treatment.

Talk to a partner, friend or family member

Sharing your experience with someone you trust can help reduce feelings of isolation. You don't have to tell everyone you're freezing your eggs, but having one or two people who understand what you're going through can make a difference. You might ask someone to accompany you to an appointment, check in after egg collection or simply listen when you need to talk.

Make time for rest and activities you enjoy

Egg freezing can involve frequent appointments, medication schedules and physical discomfort. Try to leave some space in your routine for rest and activities that help you feel relaxed, whether that's reading, spending time outdoors, seeing friends or enjoying a favourite hobby.

Gentle exercise may also help your wellbeing, although you should follow your clinic's advice about physical activity during ovarian stimulation, when strenuous exercise may be discouraged.

Try mindfulness or meditation

If you find yourself worrying about treatment results or future fertility, mindfulness and meditation may help you manage anxious thoughts. You could try a short guided meditation, breathing exercises or writing down your feelings in a journal.

These activities won't change the number or quality of eggs collected, but they may help you feel calmer and more supported throughout treatment.

Set boundaries around advice and social media

Friends and family often mean well, but unsolicited advice about fertility or when to have children can feel overwhelming. It's okay to decide how much you want to share and to ask people not to discuss your treatment unless you bring it up.

Similarly, if social media or fertility forums increase your anxiety, taking a break can help you focus on your own experience rather than comparing it with others.

Where else can you find egg freezing support?

There are several organisations offering independent fertility information, counselling resources and opportunities to connect with people who understand the experience.

• Fertility Network UK provides information, support groups and emotional support for people navigating fertility concerns and treatment.
• The HFEA offers independent guidance about egg freezing, including treatment risks, success rates and questions to ask your clinic.
• BICA — the British Infertility Counselling Association — provides information about fertility counselling and a directory of accredited counsellors.

You can also explore the London Women's Clinic fertility support hub for information about counselling, support groups and other resources available to patients.

Frequently asked questions about emotional support during egg freezing

Is it normal to feel emotional during egg freezing?

Yes. Egg freezing can bring a mixture of feelings, including excitement, relief, anxiety and uncertainty. Hormonal medication, the physical demands of treatment and concerns about future fertility may all contribute. You don't need to experience significant distress to benefit from emotional support.

Can egg freezing hormones cause mood swings?

Some women report mood changes, irritability or tearfulness during ovarian stimulation.

These feelings may be associated with hormonal changes, physical symptoms or the emotional demands of treatment. However, experiences vary, and not everyone will notice changes in their mood. If your symptoms are affecting your everyday life, speak to your fertility team.

Do I need counselling before freezing my eggs?

Counselling isn't a requirement for everyone undergoing elective egg freezing, but it can be helpful if you're uncertain about treatment, concerned about your results or want to explore the emotional implications of fertility preservation.

You can also access support during or after treatment, even if you felt confident about your decision beforehand.

What if I feel disappointed after egg collection?

It's understandable to feel disappointed if fewer eggs are collected than you expected. The number of eggs retrieved can vary depending on factors such as age, ovarian reserve and response to medication. Your fertility specialist can explain your results and discuss whether another cycle might be appropriate.

Counselling can also help you process any disappointment or uncertainty about your next steps.

Can I access support even if I froze my eggs several years ago?

Yes. You may have questions or concerns about your frozen eggs long after the initial treatment. London Women's Clinic can support patients who want to discuss their fertility preservation experience, review their options or consider using their frozen eggs in future treatment.

Find emotional support at London Women's Clinic

Egg freezing can be an empowering way to preserve reproductive options, but you don't have to navigate the decision or treatment process alone.

At London Women's Clinic, our fertility specialists, nurses and counselling team can help you understand your options, manage the emotional challenges of treatment and feel supported before, during and after freezing your eggs.

We also encourage anyone considering egg freezing to attend one of our information events, where you can learn more about the process, costs and treatment options. Our partner organisation, London Egg Bank, also provides egg freezing information and events.

To learn more about counselling and support groups, visit our fertility support hub or contact our patient support team at patient.support@londonwomensclinic.com.

You can also explore our egg freezing services or contact London Women's Clinic to arrange a consultation.

References

• Egg freezing – Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
• Fertility Network UK – Fertility Network UK
• British Infertility Counselling Association – BICA