OP here - also, this is just so frustrating and why there needs to be a place for women freezing their eggs to process and share experiences - not everyone is 100% sure they can afford or want to be a parent (esp. if single in a major metro area without any family support), so this while this forum has been very helpful for local information, it could use an Egg Freezing section. We all just are at different places in our lives financial, emotionally, relationship-wise, and we all have different goals and reasons for going through all of this (or not!).

I appreciate all the concern, but freezing embryos and travelling out of state are not an affordable option for me as a single woman on a federal employee's salary. I am a grown woman, I know the risks that this may not work, but I am freezing my eggs in case I find the love of my life to be a coparent with, not because I want to be a single mom by choice (yet).

I'm sorry I posted - this made me feel even more isolated in this process and now I think I'm making the wrong choice. Thanks for the support.

I froze eggs in my thirties at two NOVA fertility clinics, including one at a Shady Grove since they had the only statistically meaningful frozen egg thawing success rates in the area. None survived the thawing when I turned 40.

I would suggest freezing embryos over egg but if that is not an option, I would encourage you to travel out of state to a clinic (like CCRM Aurora, CO) that has meaningful success with thawing elective (not donor) frozen eggs (i.e. life birth). If the fertility clinic can't give you that data, you are taking an extreme risk with your money, cash or not.

Thawing frozen donor eggs from a 20 year old donor is very different than thawing frozen eggs from a woman in her 30's.

Thanks! I'm paying cash as well, but not doing embryos - just eggs.

Times may have changed, but Fairfax Genetics & IVF used to have the highest standards in the biz and their sperm bank had the most rigorous safety, testing and applicant standards

I was a single female professional and was asked Zero questions about my choice.

I did pay cash though as insurance did not cover for single women back then

Anonymous wrote:You might want to also ask about freezing some as embryos. Some doctors say that they freeze and thaw better, and the only way you really know if you have good quality eggs are to see how the fertilize. I froze mine at 36 (2 rounds), and was planning to fertilize half of them as eggs and half as embryos- but didn't get as many as I hoped so I just fertilized them all. At this point (about a year later) planning to move forward with the SMBC route.

I don't have a partner, so I'm not going the embryo route, but good to know if I meet someone and we want to move forward quickly.

You might want to also ask about freezing some as embryos. Some doctors say that they freeze and thaw better, and the only way you really know if you have good quality eggs are to see how the fertilize. I froze mine at 36 (2 rounds), and was planning to fertilize half of them as eggs and half as embryos- but didn't get as many as I hoped so I just fertilized them all. At this point (about a year later) planning to move forward with the SMBC route.

OP updates/clarifications:

1. Was holding out because the vast majority of women I spoke with recommended GW over the other clinics - also, I wasn't ready to jump the gun this year was just trying to get the process started and figure out if this was even something I wanted/could afford.

2. Got a telehealth initial appointment w/GW this Friday! They have a new doctor on staff and are finally taking new patients again, just FYI. During all this, a new work opportunity also came up (like a once in a lifetime gig), so I'm on a temp work detail so may not actually freeze my eggs until at least summer 2022, but excited to start!

Thanks all!