How the Egg Freezing Process Works: Step-by-Step

Every egg freezing cycle at VCRM begins with a comprehensive medical evaluation to ensure your body is healthy and ready for ovarian stimulation. We perform baseline bloodwork (AMH, FSH, Estradiol) and a transvaginal ultrasound (Antral Follicle Count - AFC) to measure your egg supply and determine custom medication dosing.

For 8 to 14 days, you administer self-injectable gonadotropin medications (FSH/LH) to encourage multiple ovarian follicles to mature simultaneously. During stimulation, you visit our Reston clinic for regular ultrasound monitoring and bloodwork so Dr. Sharara can track follicle growth and fine-tune dosing.

When target follicles reach mature size (≥ 18mm), you receive a trigger injection (Lupron and/or hCG) to induce final egg maturation. Exactly 36 hours later, Dr. Sharara performs a quick 20-minute outpatient retrieval under ultrasound guidance while you rest comfortably under intravenous sedation administered by an anesthesiologist.

Retrieved eggs are taken directly to our state-of-the-art embryology laboratory. Technicians dehydrate mature eggs and immerse them in cryoprotectant solution. Eggs are doused in liquid nitrogen and flash-frozen in under 60 seconds into a glass-like solid state.

Frozen eggs are transferred into secure liquid nitrogen cryo-tanks maintained at -196°C in VCRM's on-site laboratory until you decide to thaw them for IVF.