Secure™ A New Deal for Egg Freezing

Women delay starting a family for various reasons such as they have yet to find the right person, pursuit of careers or other life goals. As female fertility declines steadily after the age of 30, egg freezing has become an option for fertility preservation, preferably before the age of 35.

Some eggs do not survive during the freezing and thawing processes – even with the use of vitrification techniques employed by CRGH – and not every fertilised egg progresses to become a viable embryo. Please refer to the egg freezing section of the website for further details regarding egg freezing and discuss with your clinician. This often means two or three cycles of stimulation, which can make the cost of egg freezing challenging for women to bear.

Secure™ is a new offering from CRGH, which significantly reduces the cost of egg freezing for multiple cycles.

FAQs

How do I access the scheme?

Just tell your doctor when you agree the treatment plan and speak to the finance team once you receive your cost estimate.

What if I prepay for a three-cycle package but only need one or two?

We will refund the difference for any unused cycles

How long can I leave it between treatment cycles?

There is no time limit in terms of accessing a cycle you have paid for, but your doctor will highlight how fertility declines with age, and a significant delay can affect the quantity and quality of eggs collected.

What is the age limit for this scheme?

There is no upper age limit for this scheme, but your doctor may advise against egg freezing on clinical grounds, which may be associated with age.

As with other forms of fertility treatment, the chance of success is dependent on the age of the woman at the time the eggs were frozen. The success rate of egg freezing is considerably lower for women in the older age group. The HFEA’s report on egg freezing (2018) advises where women over the age of 40 freeze their own eggs, the likelihood of a future pregnancy is very slim and cautions “against this being a sensible option for this group of women”¹.

Can I pay for one cycle but then join the scheme if I need a second?

No – cycle packages must be booked in advance, but we will refund the difference if you need fewer cycles than you have purchased

Which package should I purchase?

Seek the advice of your CRGH doctor, but in financial terms the Secure3™ is the most cost-effective package. Any unused cycles will be refunded.

Reference:

1. https://www.hfea.gov.uk/media/2656/egg-freezing-in-fertility-treatment-trends-and-figures-2010-2016-final.pdf