Fertility Preservation
Embryo Freezing
Embryo freezing gives you the freedom to plan your family on your terms. By safely storing your embryos, you maintain excellent chances of a healthy pregnancy when the time is right.
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What is Embryo Freezing?
Embryo freezing is a safe and effective way to store embryos created during IVF or ICSI for future use, giving you greater flexibility and control over when you choose to try for pregnancy. Using advanced freezing techniques, particularly vitrification, embryos can be carefully preserved with excellent chances of success when you’re ready.
For many patients, frozen embryo transfer offers reassurance and choice — whether you’d prefer to plan treatment around personal circumstances or allow your body time to recover after stimulation. In some cases, this approach may even help improve outcomes.
Our recent research (Garratt et al., 2026, in press) suggests that giving the body time to reset before transfer may be beneficial for certain patients.
When the time feels right, your embryos are gently thawed and transferred as part of a frozen embryo transfer cycle. You’ll find a step-by-step guide to the process below, so you know exactly what to expect.
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Is Embryo Freezing Right for You?
Embryo freezing can be a good option if you:
- Have surplus high-quality embryos after IVF or ICSI.
- Have developed complications or severe side effects from ovarian stimulation.
- Need to pause or cancel treatment after egg collection.
- Are facing medical treatments that could affect fertility, such as cancer therapy.
- Want to preserve fertility before gender-affirming treatment or surgery.
- Are planning for future family flexibility and want to take control of timing.
- Are part of a same-sex couple considering intra-partner donation (Reciprocal IVF).
- Need to undergo embryo genetic testing (PGT-A, PGT-M or PGT-SR), which requires freezing embryos.
Sometimes, circumstances arise during an IVF cycle that make a fresh transfer unsuitable. These can include elevated progesterone levels, the identification of a polyp in the womb, risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, illness or emergency, or a thin or poorly developed endometrial lining.
Benefits of Embryo Freezing
Choosing embryo freezing offers several important advantages:
- High success rates: Modern freezing techniques preserve embryo quality and can improve pregnancy outcomes.
- Flexibility in family planning: Your embryos can be stored safely and used when the time is right for you.
- Preservation of younger, healthier embryos: Freezing early ensures your best-quality embryos are available for future use.
How Does Embryo Freezing Work?
Embryo freezing is a carefully managed process that gives you flexibility and choice in your fertility journey. From creating embryos in the lab to safely freezing and storing them, each step is designed to maximise their quality and preserve your chances of a successful pregnancy when the time is right.
Embryo freezing usually takes place as part of IVF or ICSI treatment. Eggs and sperm are combined in the laboratory to create embryos, which are carefully monitored as they develop.
Embryos are carefully assessed in the laboratory to determine which are suitable for freezing. While we select embryos that meet certain quality criteria, embryos of varying quality may be frozen to give you the best possible options for future use.
Selected embryos are frozen using vitrification, a modern fast-freezing technique that protects their quality and viability.
Your frozen embryos are safely stored in liquid nitrogen until you are ready to use them.
When the time is right, an embryo is thawed and transferred to your womb. This is a quick, simple procedure, performed under ultrasound guidance, and works just like a fresh embryo transfer.
A pregnancy test is arranged 12–14 days later. Most patients can return to normal activities shortly afterward. Embryo transfers are carefully timed to match your body’s natural or medicated cycle. To reduce the risk of multiple pregnancy, usually only one embryo is transferred at a time. Frozen embryo transfers are considered just as safe as fresh transfers.
Frozen Embryo Transfer Success in Numbers
In 2025, over 3,200 embryos were thawed in our laboratories for frozen embryo transfer, with a 99% survival rate.
On rare occasions, embryos do not survive the thaw and these are usually ones that were of lower quality.
For more information on frozen embryo transfer outcomes, you can visit our FET Success Rates data page.
Embryo Freezing Success Rates
‘We are incredibly grateful to London Women’s Clinic, Harrow, for helping make our dream of becoming parents come true. We are now blessed with a beautiful baby! A special thank you to Dr Gill for the care, guidance and support throughout our IVF journey, and to Carla and Maria for making the entire process smooth and reassuring. We had a wonderful experience and will always be thankful to the whole team. Highly recommend! ❤️’
P S
23 October 2026, LWC Harrow
‘LWC are fantastically supportive at every stage of your journey. It is a tough journey but Louise, Rute, Dr Arthi and Ashley are incredibly supportive.’
S W
23 October 2026, LWC Cambridge
‘I honestly cannot fault Kind IVF. From start to finish, I have been so incredibly impressed with the care, compassion and professionalism shown by the entire team. Going through IVF can be such an emotional and overwhelming journey, but they have made the whole experience feel so much more reassuring and positive. Every step of the way, I have felt cared for, listened to and supported. The team have been amazing at answering questions, putting my mind at ease and making sure I felt comfortable throughout the process. You can really tell how much they care about their patients, and that makes such a huge difference during a journey that can be so personal and emotional. I am so grateful to everyone at Kind IVF for everything they have done for us. Choosing them has been one of the best decisions we have made, and I genuinely couldn’t recommend them enough to anyone considering IVF. The standard of care has been outstanding, and I cannot thank them enough for helping us on this journey. ❤️ Thank you, Kind IVF, for being so amazing!’
Georgia Burt
22 October 2026, LWC Tunbridge Wells
‘I highly recommend the London Women's Clinic Brentwood. The staff were very supportive, patient, and always available to answer questions. They guided me through an emotional process with clear explanations and genuine care. The staff were always available and happy to help.’
S Begum
21 October 2026, LWC Brentwood
‘Choosing an IVF clinic is such a big decision and I'm so incredibly glad that we chose this one. IVF can be such an emotional and overwhelming journey but having a clinic that offers so much support and genuinely cares for you makes such a difference. The care and kindness that we have received has been exceptional. We can't thank LWC Brentwood enough ❤️’
Laura Keary
21 October 2026, LWC Brentwood
‘I honestly can’t thank London Women’s Clinic enough for helping me achieve my lifelong dream of becoming a mum. It wasn’t an easy journey, but the team were absolutely fantastic and supported me every step of the way. Their kindness, care and reassurance made such a difference during what was a really emotional and challenging time. I always felt supported and in safe hands. A special thank you to Carla, Ana-Maria and Dr Goswami. You have all been absolutely fantastic and I am so grateful for everything you have done for me. I’ll never forget the support and care you have shown me during such an important and emotional journey. Thank you all from the bottom of my heart for helping me achieve something I have wanted for as long as I can remember. It means more to me than words can say. I would recommend London Women’s Clinic to anyone going through their own fertility journey.’
Sarah
21 October 2026, LWC Harrow
‘We started our treatment in July, and I have had a very positive experience with this clinic. Lorraine on reception especially made me feel like nothing was too much trouble and always knew me by name which is such a nice personal touch, especially at such a sensitive time. Along with Dr Safwat Ashour he always recommended the best treatment for us and just had such a kind caring attitude towards us while explaining our options and being very honest with us too. One of the nurses (so sorry I can’t remember your name) she only recently started in July and I felt so at home with her and cared for. To finish off we are currently pregnant with our IVF miracle all thanks you this clinic. Thank you all so much, no thanks would ever be enough for the gift you have given us!’
Sophie Jay
21 October 2026, LWC Darlington
‘Very professional and very welcoming, and very clean I was given time to feel relaxed and I didn't feel like I had to rush this made me feel very comfortable.’
Ryan Harmer
21 October 2026, LWC Brighton
‘My wife and I have had a brilliant experience with LWC throughout our fertility journey. We always felt listened to, supported, and in control of the decisions we were making. Our PCC Suzanna, Dr Verstraete, and the nursing team were consistently friendly, responsive, and knowledgeable, which made navigating the shared motherhood process feel so much easier. We’re incredibly grateful for the care and support we received.’
Megan Nelkon
20 October 2026, LWC Harley Street
‘I’ve had a great experience with the clinic so far. From the very beginning, I’ve felt incredibly well cared for and supported throughout my egg freezing journey. Daenira on reception is always so lovely, welcoming and helpful, and Liv, my nurse, has been fantastic! She’s made me feel comfortable, reassured and well looked after at every step. Dr Wade has also been absolutely brilliant and I have complete confidence in the care and guidance I’ve received. I would highly recommend this clinic to anybody considering egg freezing.’
Saffy
20 October 2026, LWC Oxford
‘The most amazing experience with the clinic from start to end Nothing is to much for them They will answer every Question Worry or concern no matter how big or small, My experience and care they have shown in one of the hardest times and most worrying experiences they were there every single step of the way, I honestly couldn’t thank every member I’ve dealt with anymore and would recommend this clinic to anyone thinking about it , hardest decision but best decision every made and all the staff here made this possible for me you are all amazing caring people And I thank you from the bottom of my heart 🙏🏼🩷’
Stephanie
18 October 2026, LWC Brentwood
‘I truly feel blessed and thankful to God that we are in such a wonderful place and in such caring hands during one of the most precious journeys of our lives. The clinic has been outstanding throughout my treatment, making the entire journey feel as smooth as possible. The whole team at the Brentwood clinic is absolutely amazing, everyone is so warm, welcoming and supportive. The treatment has been incredible so far, and we are extremely satisfied with the care, support, and overall service we have received throughout our journey. Fingers crossed, I truly believe that the best news is just around the corner! ❤️🤞 I would wholeheartedly recommend Brentwood clinic for the care and support they provide in parenthood journey.’
Harika
14 October 2026, LWC Brentwood
‘London Women’s Clinic, Reading were fantastic and Nurse Nicky was such a supportive and reassuring professional. Thank you for journeying with me Nicky!’
Sope Adekola
14 October 2026, LWC Reading
‘Where to start… Fertility treatment is the last thing any of us expect to need. But if you find yourself on this journey, Brentwood London Women’s Clinic is where you want to be. Carina’s warm welcome sets the tone the moment you arrive, and every single nurse is wonderful, kind, calm, and reassuring. It’s a complicated and sometimes difficult road, but they walk it beside you. We’ve experienced both joy and heartache here, and through every moment we’ve felt cared for and supported. They truly get to know you, and the care feels personal and bespoke. Today we have our precious 3-year-old, and we will forever be thankful to this amazing team. They are everything you could hope for kind, knowledgeable, and genuinely there for you. We couldn’t recommend them more.’
Sarah Tidey
13 October 2026, LWC Brentwood
‘We honestly can’t thank London Women’s Clinic in Brentwood enough for everything they have done and continue to do for us. They helped us create our now 3 year old, and we are incredibly grateful to be back with them on our journey to hopefully have another little one. Angela and Katie are truly incredible nurses. They go above and beyond to make you feel comfortable, listened to and supported every step of the way. They take the time to explain the process, answer any questions and put your mind at ease, making what can sometimes be an overwhelming and emotional journey feel that little bit easier. It means so much to be cared for by people who genuinely seem to care about you and your family, rather than just seeing you as another patient. Their kindness, compassion and reassurance make such a difference, and we feel very lucky to have them supporting us again. We will always be grateful to London Women’s Clinic for helping us bring our little girl into the world, and we have every hope that they will help us grow our family once more. We couldn’t recommend the team highly enough. Thank you, Angela, Katie and everyone at the Brentwood clinic, for being such a special part of our journey. ❤️ Also a special mention for the smiley face in the reception. Carina, you are great!!’
bethan philp
13 October 2026, LWC Brentwood
‘Came here after my treatment at LWC Darlington as I needed to be part of the failed implantation team. The care and communication was second to none. It was everything and more, no question to my coordinator was never too much. They were extremely accommodating when I had to travel from up north multiple times and were always happy to let me have my then 2 year old son come to monitoring appointments. I’m grateful for their expertise in failed implantation as my 3rd egg collection was successful and my fresh transfer worked first time & I’ve just gave birth to my second LWC baby in September 2026. Would always recommend LWC - especially London Bridge / Harley Street.’
Jeni J
13 October 2026, LWC London Bridge
‘Great experience. Very kind and supportive.’
Jesylin Luka
12 October 2026, LWC Reading
‘My experience with London Women's Clinic Brighton has been wonderful so far. The staff are kind and patient, as well as exceptionally knowledgeable. I have had all my questions answered (and have been encouraged to ask more whenever!), and I feel assured that I'm receiving transparent, evidence-based advice.’
Jess Smith
12 October 2026, LWC Brighton
‘Excellent service, highly recommend!’
Lenka Kalafutova
10 October 2026, LWC Tunbridge Wells
‘Lovely people. Truly!’
Eve Reiser
8 October 2026, LWC Reading
‘My experience was positive throughout. The team at the clinic was friendly at every visit. Suzanna was always very responsive and kind and happy to answer any questions. Dr Verstraete was always empathetic and knowledgeable! Most importantly: the outcome is a healthy baby :)’
Mir
8 October 2026, LWC Harley Street
‘Thank you so much Dr Naware, Linda and Emmanuella’
Moyo T
7 October 2026, LWC London Bridge
‘Going through the IVF journey is always going to be difficult, but the team at London Women's Clinic in Harrow have made it the best experience possible. We've had constant support, check ins, and they have really got to know us and understand our concerns and issues. No question has ever felt like a silly one, and they've been incredibly accommodating when we've needed it too. The whole team have been amazing, but in particular Carla, Ana-Marie and Dr Goswami. We actually relocated away from Harrow 12 months ago, but have continued to go back to the team there as we've built such a great relationship with them, and their support through such a difficult journey has meant the world to us. I can't recommend them highly enough. And probably the important bit for anyone considering going to them - we're expecting our first baby in February!’
Emma Dunning
6 October 2026, LWC Harrow
‘I’d like to say a massive thankyou to everyone at the Cambridge London clinic there all loverly, with out you guys we wouldn’t be were we are today with our little journey of having a baby 😊 not only did they help us with our pregnancy but the amount of support they have given us has been incredible. We had to have a frozen ivf and as you can imagine we were so nervous but we have been lucky enough for ours to work first time and now my partner is 7+weeks 😊 the whole way through this process has been nothing but support and kindness all members of the team that we had dealings with our amazing and it’s actually kind of sad to be leaving but we would love to thank you all from the bottom of our hearts for everything’s that you guys have done for us. If your looking at going through ivf process London clinic Cambridge is the best place for this. Again thankyou so much guys we will miss you all ❤️ (April + Ricky )’
Ricky Watson
5 October 2026, LWC Cambridge
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How much does Embryo Freezing cost?
Understanding the costs involved is an important step when considering embryo freezing. We aim to provide clear, transparent pricing so you know what to expect from the start.
For a full breakdown of costs and what’s included in our treatment plans, please get in touch with our team.
Embryo Freezing Prices
Costs start from
Included in the fee:
- Clinical advice, monitoring scans, egg collection
- Preparation and culture of eggs and sperm
- Embryo cryopreservation
In addition to your main procedure fee, there are some additional costs you will need to be aware of when planning your treatment. Additonal costs may include:
- Sedation
- Medication
- Monitoring blood test
- Blastocyst culture
- HFEA licence fees
- Embryo storage
Exact costs will be discussed after your consultation and once a treatment plan has been confirmed for you. For Embryo Freezing, the average total treatment cost of a single cycle is £7,880 - £8,880.
For Embryo Freezing, the average total treatment cost for your second cycle is £7,680 - £8,680.
For Embryo Freezing, the average total treatment cost for your third cycle is £7,380 - £8,380.
Where We Offer Embryo Freezing Services
Embryo freezing services are available at our conveniently located clinics. Click on a location to find out more about our facilities and how to book a consultation
Tell us your location and we'll show you your nearest clinic.
Nearest clinics
Take the Next Step in Your Fertility Journey
Our friendly team is here to answer your questions and guide you through the embryo freezing process. Whether you’re exploring your options for the first time or ready to take the next step, we’ll provide personalised advice and support every step of the way.
Contact us
Book a Fertility Health Assessment
Embryo Freezing FAQs
Yes. Risks are comparable to fresh embryos. The main consideration is the risk of multiple pregnancy, which can be reduced by transferring a single embryo (eSET).
The embryo is thawed and placed into the uterus under ultrasound guidance. Your doctor will prepare the uterine lining based on your natural cycle or with medication if needed.
Yes. You, your partner, or any donors can vary or withdraw consent at any time before use. There may be a cooling-off period of up to a year in some cases.
Why choose London Women’s Clinic?
At London Women’s Clinic, we combine decades of fertility expertise with advanced embryo freezing technology to give you the highest standard of care at every stage of your journey. Our team is committed to helping you feel confident, informed and supported throughout the process.
Upcoming Free Fertility Events
Stay informed about the latest seminars, webinars and workshops on fertility and Embryo Freezing.
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Embryo Freezing Stories, Advice and Research
Insights, Advice & Real Stories on Embryo Freezing and Wellbeing
Egg Freezing for Athletes: Why More Sportswomen Are Choosing to Preserve Their Fertility
An athlete's career often peaks during her most fertile years. This month, England rugby captain Meg Jones called for fertility support in sport, here's what egg freezing involves and how it can support elite athletes.
Trans and non-binary fertility options in the UK
There isn't one route to building a family as a trans or non-binary person and you don't need to have it all figured out before you start. From egg, sperm and embryo freezing to IVF, donor options and surrogacy, here's a clear guide to what may be possible for you, before or after gender-affirming care.
Fertility Over 40: treatment options and next steps
Being over 40 doesn't decide your fertility journey for you. Some women conceive naturally, others with their own eggs, and others with donor eggs - the key is knowing your individual picture early. Here's what changes after 40, what your test results really mean, and how to find the right option for you.
