The idea of not being able to conceive children in the later years of your life might sound daunting to most individuals who ovulate. But for some people, getting pregnant right now isn’t a viable option for their current circumstances.
Thankfully, egg freezing is one way to hit the pause button on the biological clock looming over you. It gives you the option to preserve your younger, healthier eggs so that you can start your own family, whenever you’re ready.
Before you opt for this fertility preservation method, it’s essential to understand the egg freezing process and learn how it can benefit you. To make it easier for you without poring over lengthy articles, we’ve created a concise 5-minute guide to egg freezing in Singapore.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is not intended as medical advice.
What is Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing is a fertility preservation method that gives you control and security over your future pregnancy plans.
Medically known as oocyte cryopreservation, egg freezing is a multi-step process that keeps your eggs frozen for an unlimited period — and you won’t have to worry about your egg quality deteriorating over time.
For many individuals, the appeal of egg freezing lies in the fact that you no longer have to abide by societal expectations to settle down and have kids by a certain timeline, if you don’t wish to.
Is Egg Freezing Illegal in Singapore?
Previously, elective egg freezing in Singapore was only allowed for medical reasons.
So, if you were undergoing chemotherapy for cancer, had an autoimmune disease, or were at risk of premature menopause or any other relevant medical disease that affects your child-bearing potential, you would be eligible for egg freezing in Singapore.
This also meant that it was illegal for single ladies without any health issues to freeze their eggs for social reasons.
But that all changed when the egg freezing law in Singapore was relaxed in July 2023. Now, people who ovulate can opt for elective egg freezing up to 37 years of age compared to the previous 35-year-old age limit (more on that below).
You have the choice to preserve your fertility and get pregnant at a later time when you’re ready. As such, egg freezing for non-medical reasons is no longer illegal for single women who meet the age requirement.
However, it’s essential to note that only legally married couples can later use the preserved eggs to procreate.
Related article: Fertility Treatment Regulations in Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand
What is Elective Egg Freezing?
If you’re new to elective egg freezing (aka social egg freezing), it is a medical procedure that allows individuals to preserve their eggs for non-medical reasons, usually due to personal circumstances.
For example, you might be in your late 20s or early 30s, focused on climbing the corporate ladder. With elective egg freezing, you now have the freedom to build your career first before thinking about motherhood at a later age. Read Beverly’s story here for more inspiration.
Similarly, you might be ready to start a family but haven’t found the right partner yet. Elective egg freezing offers you the flexibility to preserve the quality of your eggs now, rather than waiting five years until you’ve met the ideal partner. This allows you to extend your timeline for romance without compromising your fertility potential.
What is the Age Limit for Egg Freezing in Singapore?
As of July 2023, the age limit for egg freezing in Singapore is now set at 37 years old.
Per a 2023 study published in the Journal of Clinical Medicine that analyzed 167 individuals who underwent social egg freezing:
- 56% of participants younger than 38 years old became pregnant
- Only 29% of participants aged 38 years and older conceived
Beyond the age of 37-38, fertility success is known to decline. Keeping in line with recent studies, the new regulations set out by MOH align with the perfect age for women to undergo this procedure.
How Much Does Egg Freezing Cost in Singapore?
Egg freezing costs in Singapore vary widely depending on the age, number of eggs, and treatment of the individual.
Per the National University Centre for Women & Children, one cycle of egg freezing with three years of storage costs around S$10,000-$12,000 at the local hospital. This is more or less on par with elective egg freezing packages at private clinics in Singapore like Raffles Fertility Centre, which reportedly costs S$12,888 (inclusive of one year of storage).
While no governmental subsidies are available for elective egg freezing at the moment, Singapore has introduced co-funding schemes for couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF).
If you’re wondering what IVF is, it’s a complex medical procedure where the eggs and sperm are fertilized artificially in a laboratory. Learn more about the IVF step-by-step process here.
Who Should Consider Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing can be a viable option if you belong to one of the following groups:
- You want to pursue your education or career goals: If it’s crucial for you to focus on school or work now before starting a family, then egg freezing can help you preserve your fertility options for the future.
- You’re not in a committed relationship yet: We totally get that finding the right partner takes time. In the meantime, you can freeze your eggs first to give yourself (and your future partner) the choice of biological children when the time is right.
- You have a health condition affecting your fertility: Endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) are some of the common female-related health issues that make conception challenging. Egg freezing can act as a fertility backup plan for such situations.
- You’re undergoing a medical treatment: Medical procedures like chemotherapy and radiation could potentially harm your fertility levels. This is another scenario in which freezing your eggs can act as a backup plan to preserve your fertility.
- You identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community: Same-sex female couples or transgender individuals may choose egg freezing as a way to have biological children using one partner’s eggs and sperm from a donor via assisted reproductive techniques like IVF.
How Does Egg Freezing Work?
Depending on whether follicle growth synchronization is needed, your care team may recommend you to use birth control pills as the first step.
If not, you can jump straight to ovarian stimulation which involves injections of specific hormones, like follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH), to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs.
Next, you’ll undergo blood tests and ultrasound scans to monitor the growth of your eggs. Once they are fully mature, you move on to the egg retrieval stage.
At this stage, mature eggs are removed from your ovaries. A transvaginal ultrasound helps direct the needle to your ovaries, where the oocytes are present. You will be sedated by an anesthesiologist for your comfort, a process that usually lasts about 15 minutes to an hour.
Your retrieved eggs are then moved to a sterile tube, where an embryologist further evaluates them. After selecting the most mature and healthiest eggs for preservation, they are flash-frozen at about -196 degrees Celsius. Lastly, the eggs are stored in liquid nitrogen for long-term preservation.
Make an Informed Choice for Egg Freezing in Singapore
When it comes to egg freezing, the younger you are, the higher your success rates. If you’re considering this fertility preservation method, it’s best to go for it as soon as possible.
That said, it’s important to iron out all your concerns first before making a final decision. To answer all your burning questions, download our 24-page Ultimate Guide to Egg Freezing now!