Fertility preservation means storing reproductive cells now to use later. For women this usually means egg freezing: an IVF-style stimulation and egg retrieval, after which the mature eggs are frozen unfertilized by vitrification (ultra-rapid freezing) and stored. Embryo freezing (for couples) and sperm freezing work on the same principle.
Who considers it
Two broad groups: those facing medical treatment that can damage fertility — chemotherapy, radiation, ovarian surgery — where preservation should be discussed before treatment starts; and those who know pregnancy is some years away and want to bank eggs while their quantity and quality are better. The way I frame it for my patients: egg freezing isn't about delaying motherhood — it's about protecting your options.
The honest caveats
Frozen eggs preserve possibility, not certainty — success later depends on the number and quality of eggs stored, which is strongly tied to age at freezing. The earlier the conversation, the more options stay open.