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What Is Egg Freezing and Why It Matters
Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, is a fertility preservation technique that allows women to preserve their fertility potential by collecting and freezing their eggs for future use. This option has become increasingly popular around the world as more women delay childbearing due to lifestyle, career planning, or medical conditions that may affect reproductive health.
Interest in egg freezing in Malaysia is growing—especially as modern lifestyles, health concerns, and social factors influence family planning decisions. At Metro IVF, we’re here to support your dreams for the future with our advanced egg freezing services. Using the latest vitrification technology, we carefully retrieve and safely freeze your eggs, giving you the freedom to start your family when the time is right
Understanding Egg Freezing
What Is Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing involves collecting a woman’s unfertilized gametes and storing them at ultra-low temperatures. These cryopreserved oocytes can be thawed later, fertilized using ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), and implanted in the uterus via embryo transfer to attempt pregnancy.
Why Do Women Freeze Their Eggs?
- Medical Reasons
Egg freezing is recommended for women who need treatments like chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery that might affect fertility. It’s also helpful for those with conditions like endometriosis, autoimmune diseases, or a risk of early menopause.
- Medical Reasons
- Personal or Lifestyle Choices
Many women choose to freeze their eggs to delay motherhood—whether it’s to focus on education, career goals, or finding the right partner. Doing so at a young age helps preserve healthier eggs for future use.
- Personal or Lifestyle Choices
What are the Steps involved in Egg Freezing?
- Your First Fertility Visit
You’ll meet with a fertility specialist who’ll review your medical history and run a few simple tests—like a hormone blood test (AMH) and an ultrasound scan to check your ovaries. Screening for infections is also included.
- Stimulating Egg Growth
For 10–12 days, you’ll take daily hormone injections to help your ovaries produce multiple eggs. During this time, we’ll monitor your progress with a few quick clinic visits. A final “trigger shot” gets your eggs ready for collection.
- Egg Retrieval
Eggs are collected in a quick 15–30 minute procedure under light sedation. A thin needle is used to gently retrieve the eggs. Most patients go home the same day.
- Freezing Your Eggs
Only mature eggs are frozen using vitrification—a fast-freezing method that keeps them safe at -196°C. They can be stored for years without aging or losing quality.
Is Egg Freezing Legal in Malaysia?
Fertility Treatment Regulations
Malaysia currently lacks specific legislation on assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as IVF and egg freezing. Clinics operate under medical guidelines from bodies like the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC). Generally, fertility treatment is provided only to legally married heterosexual couples.
Religious Guidelines under Shariah Law
- For Muslim Women:
Under Islamic jurisprudence in Malaysia, unmarried Muslim women are not allowed to freeze their eggs for non-medical or elective reasons. A fatwa (religious decree) prohibits freezing eggs in anticipation of future marriage. However, married Muslim women may freeze eggs for later use with their own husband’s sperm. - For Non-Muslim Women:
Non-Muslim Malaysian women can legally freeze their eggs, regardless of marital status.
- For Muslim Women:
Costs of Egg Freezing in Malaysia
- The cost of egg freezing in Malaysia ranges from RM5,400 to RM20,000, depending on the clinic and treatment plan. At Metro IVF, the following is typically covered:
- Doctor’s consultation during the IVF cycle
- Ultrasound scans and follicular tracking during the IVF cycle
- Individualized IVF stimulation protocol
- Egg retrieval procedure aka Oocyte Pick-up
- Anaesthetist charges
- Day care charges
- Freezing charges, inclusive of 6 straws
- First-year storage fee
Annual storage fees are extra, typically around RM1,000 to RM1,800 per year.
What affects the Success of Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing offers hope and flexibility—but like any medical process, its success depends on a few key factors:
- Age matters: Women under 35 usually have healthier eggs, which increases the chances of a successful pregnancy later.
- More eggs = more options: Freezing a larger number of eggs gives you a better shot at fertilization and implantation when you’re ready.
- Technology and expertise: The use of advanced vitrification, high-quality lab equipment, and an experienced fertility team can make a big difference in your success rates.
Success Rates of Egg Freezing
Here’s a quick look at some encouraging stats from both global and local sources:
- Egg survival post-thaw: 90–95% using advanced vitrification techniques
- Fertilization rate (ICSI): 60–70%
- Pregnancy rates: One Malaysian clinic reported a 53% success rate for women under 30 and 16.7% for women over 44.
- Global live birth rates: Range from 4%–12% per frozen egg, depending on egg quality and maternal age
Whether you’re planning ahead for personal reasons or facing a medical situation, egg freezing is becoming a trusted fertility solution in Malaysia. It empowers women with the freedom to delay motherhood while keeping future possibilities open—and that peace of mind is priceless.
Understanding Egg Freezing
Take the first step towards parenthood with confidence. Contact Metro IVF to schedule a consultation and explore our fertility testing options tailored to your needs.
An RTAC-Accredited Fertility Centre