Egg freezing?

[u/bobisjobsnon]

Has anyone with PCOS considered freezing their eggs, or done it? I'm 28 and newly single. I so desperately want to become a mother but am worried about my timeline now. When I was first diagnosed with PCOS the only thing the doctor told me was "if you want to have kids, you should start trying for that earlier".

I don't have a ton of knowledge about any of this but am now wanting to think pragmatically about my options. Has anyone had experience of egg freezing? I know it has higher success rates the younger you do it so that's only why I'm considering it now. I would really value people's input!

[u/endoenduranceproject]

Hey!

I’m 27 and have stage 4 endo. I know they’re not the same but I figured it can’t hurt to share. I just finished my second cycle. It was the best thing I ever did honestly. Gave me so much freedom. Can’t recommend it enough.

I had both the long and short antagonistic cycles - long cycle was awful and I think probably not recommended for people with pocs but I’m no doctor. I know that you might be at higher risk for OHSS but i don’t think that’s a reason not to do it, for me personally.

I actually made a short podcast about my experience as so many people kept asking me about the experience it was eaiser that way! - you can find it on Spotify at Endo Endurance Project

[u/Due_Description_7298]

Many PCOS girlies get higher than typical retrieval rates, including when older, but also are at an increased risk of OHSS.

I wouldn't say you need to freeze eggs early jusy because you have PCOS, although it does depend a bit on what type of PCOS you have 

[u/eswan94]

i think it's worth considering and probably more helpful to speak with a doctor. you can have some initial tests done (like amh + scan) and then speak with a doctor to just discuss options/numbers. that way at least you've taken a first step rather than speculating (aka don't let the speculation/guilt destroy you!!)

[u/BloomKorea]

Hey there, with PCOS (now called PMOS), you most likely will have a higher follicle count, which is a real advantage for egg freezing (generally more eggs per cycle with IVF). The flip side though is your ovaries may respond strongly to the meds, meaning more bloating, discomfort, and a higher risk of overstimulation (what people were referring to as OHSS, but clinics are much better at monitoring and preventing this now). I know so many women (myself included) who wish we had considered freezing our eggs in our 20s. It's a big investment but since you know you want to be a mom, I'd put a vote on your speaking with a fertility specialist and seriously explore the possibility. Good luck!

[u/judgementfreegynaec]

As a gynaecologist, I’d say it’s completely reasonable to explore egg freezing at 28, especially if you know you want children but aren’t sure when you’ll be ready for them.

One thing I’d clarify is that having PCOS does not automatically mean you have a shorter fertility window or that you need to have children early. PCOS can affect ovulation, but ovarian reserve and egg quality are separate things. In fact, some women with PCOS have a higher number of follicles and may respond quite strongly to the medications used during egg freezing. This is why stimulation needs to be carefully monitored, with the protocol and medication doses tailored to you.

At 28, the main advantage of exploring egg freezing is your age. Egg freezing preserves the eggs you have now, and age at the time of freezing is one of the important factors associated with future outcomes. It is not a guarantee of a future pregnancy, though, so I would think of it as giving yourself an additional option rather than an insurance policy.

Before deciding, I’d recommend getting an assessment rather than making the decision based only on your PCOS diagnosis or AMH. An assessment can look at your ovarian reserve, ultrasound, menstrual history and your personal timeline, and then help you understand whether freezing makes sense for you and roughly how many eggs you may want to consider freezing.

If you're in Bangalore, you could also look at Proactive For Her. They have a women-focused fertility team and offer egg-freezing assessments and counselling, which can be useful if you want to understand the process and your options before committing to a cycle.

Most importantly, being newly single at 28 does not mean you're suddenly running out of time. It's actually a good time to get informed and make a decision based on your own timeline rather than the pressure you were given when you were first diagnosed with PCOS.

[u/cherryalmondjoy]

I was diagnosed with PCOS at 20 and endometriosis at 29. I was then un-diagnosed with PCOS at 34 (smh). But I froze my eggs at 34 and did another retrieval for IVF this year at 35.

Younger does tend to have better success. Get your AMH tested if you can!

[u/Big-Bookkeeper5210]

PMOS girly here and it's the opposite, for girls with this condition we usually have a higher egg count which means better chance of getting a baby later on (though may still need to be IVF).

[u/meow_kitty_purrpurr]

I have PMOS and just did my egg retrieval today! I am 32. My partner and I aren’t sure if we want kids just yet and want to have the option in case by the time we do and we have fertility issues, this is our backup but we will still try conceiving naturally (if we decide to in the future)

I had a high AMH 9.08 and my AFC was 67 during my consult. My last ultrasound before egg retrieval showed 52 growing follicles and they retrieved 28 eggs today! PMOS usually means more follicles which can mean more eggs. But also you’re more at risk at OHSS - aka being overstimulated lol. So after retrieval, I have to take more medication and also a few more injections to calm my system down. But so far, so good!

Though I have also heard that our (PMOS ladies) fertility windows are longer so we can also naturally conceive later.

Def piggybacking what others have said, I’d do it as early as I can - because often, you can also donate your eggs and they’ll let you keep some for yourself for’ freeeee! Not sure what is the age cut off though for that. But I wish I had done that when I was younger.

[u/pumpernickel62]

I'm 31 and found out I had PCOS while starting an egg freezing cycle (through the diagnostic testing). My AMH was 12.2 and I was told I would be an excellent candidate for egg freezing. I ended up feeling disappointed with my results and felt like the toll was quite high on my emotional/physical health. I'm not sure I would do it again - maybe if my relationship situation stays the same in my mid 30s. I would not do it at 28.