From freeze to baby: the full lifecycle cost of egg freezing
A realistic budget for your age, state, and number of cycles
Combines the ASRM-derived eggs-per-cycle yield model with the FertilityIQ / Cofertility / GoodRx 2026 cost ranges and a 5/10/15-year storage horizon. Outputs cycles, eggs stored, cumulative live-birth probability, and the all-in lifecycle cost.
2 cycles, 10-year storage, one use-side attempt
| Line item | Low | Mid | High | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2 retrieval cycles Mid-tier metro (Boston, Chicago, Seattle), all-in (procedure, meds, year-1 storage) | $24,000 | $30,000 | $36,000 | FertilityIQ |
Storage (9 paid years) Year one included in cycle. Annual fee $500 to $1000. | $4,500 | $6,750 | $9,000 | FertilityIQ |
Thaw, ICSI, transfer, monitoring (one attempt) Use-side cost paid only if and when the eggs are used. | $5,800 | $8,800 | $11,800 | Centers for Disease Control and Prevention |
| Lifecycle total | $34,300 | $45,550 | $56,800 |
| Cycles | Eggs stored | P(one live birth) | Cumulative cycle cost (mid) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cycle | 14 | 66% | $15,000 |
| 2 cycles | 28 | 89% | $30,000 |
| 3 cycles | 42 | 96% | $45,000 |
Probability is based on Bernoulli math from per-egg success rates: 1 − (1 − p)^N where p varies with age at freeze. The 2021 Fertility & Sterility cohort observed a 38.1% return-to-use rate, so the probability above is conditional on returning to use the eggs.[7] [5]
This calculator is an informational planning aid, not a personalised quote and not medical advice. Egg-freezing outcomes vary with AMH, antral follicle count, prior cycle response, clinic protocol, and individual biology. Confirm pricing in writing with the clinic and confirm coverage with your insurer and HR before treatment. Discuss protocol and number of cycles with a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist.
The full lifecycle
| Stage | Range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Freeze (one cycle) | $12,000 to $20,000 | Procedure, meds, year-1 storage. Most do 1 to 3 cycles. |
| Storage (per year, after year 1) | $500 to $1,000 | 8 to 12 paid years typical before use, dispose, or transfer |
| Thaw cycle | $1,000 to $2,500 | Per thaw event, including embryologist labour |
| ICSI fertilisation | $1,500 to $3,000 | Standard for previously-frozen eggs |
| Embryo culture and grading | Often included | Bundled with fertilisation at most clinics |
| Embryo transfer (fresh or frozen) | $3,000 to $5,500 | Per transfer attempt |
| Pregnancy testing and monitoring | $300 to $800 | Beta-hCG, early ultrasounds |
| PGT-A genetic testing (optional) | $3,000 to $6,000 | 1 to 8 embryos. Discuss case-by-case |
Cost ranges aggregated from FertilityIQ cost data[1] and CDC ART pricing benchmarks.[8]
Path-to-baby budget on one transfer
The single-transfer all-in path is the freeze cost plus the storage during the interim plus $5,800 to $11,800 of use-side cost. Worked: a patient who froze at 32 in a mid-tier metro for one cycle ($16,000) and uses at 38 (six paid years storage at $750 = $4,500) plus a single transfer ($1,500 thaw + $2,250 ICSI + $4,250 transfer + $550 monitoring = $8,550) totals approximately $29,050.
Worked example timelines
- Cycle: $16,000 (mid-tier metro)
- Storage years 2 to 6 (5 paid): $3,750
- One transfer attempt: $8,550
- Total: ~$28,300
- If two transfers required: ~$36,850
- Two cycles: $32,000 mid-tier
- Storage years 2 to 6 (5 paid): $3,750
- Two transfer attempts: $17,100
- Total: ~$52,850
- PGT-A on embryos adds $3,500 to $6,000
- Three cycles: $48,000 mid-tier
- Storage years 2 to 4 (3 paid): $2,250
- Two transfer attempts: $17,100
- Total: ~$67,350
- Per-egg success at age-of-freeze 38 lowers; donor egg pathway sometimes counselled at use-side decision
Multiple transfers in the realistic case
Per-transfer success rate from CDC ART data varies by age-of-egg and recipient factors. For eggs frozen under 35 and transferred at any age, per-transfer live-birth rates run roughly 30% to 45%. For eggs frozen at 38 to 40, per-transfer rates are around half of that. Realistic budgeting includes two transfers in the high case, three in the lowest-yield cases.[8]
Genetic testing (PGT-A)
Pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy can be added at the embryo stage to identify chromosomally normal embryos and reduce miscarriage risk. PGT-A typically costs $3,000 to $6,000 for 1 to 8 embryos through major labs (Igenomix, CooperGenomics, Natera). The case for PGT-A is stronger when the freezer is older or when recurrent miscarriage is a concern. The case against is the cost plus the small but real risk of false-negative results. Discuss with the reproductive endocrinologist.
The implicit insurance premium framing
Egg freezing is best modelled as a real option. The upfront freeze cost is the option premium. The lifecycle cost is the strike price. The expected value depends on whether the option is exercised: 38.1% of patients had returned to use their frozen eggs as of 2021 per Fertility & Sterility cohort data.[7] The remaining 61.9% paid the freeze cost and storage cost without paying the lifecycle cost. The ASRM 2023 ethics committee opinion is explicit that planned oocyte cryopreservation does not guarantee a future live birth.[20]
Related
- [1] The Costs of Egg Freezing to FertilityIQ, accessed April 2026. https://www.fertilityiq.com/fertilityiq/articles/the-costs-of-egg-freezing
- [8] ART Success Rates: National Summary Report to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2022 data, published 2024. https://www.cdc.gov/art/reports/2022/national-summary.html
- [7] Patterns and outcomes of patients who returned to use cryopreserved oocytes for family building to Fertility and Sterility, 2021. https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(21)02220-9/fulltext
- [20] Planned oocyte cryopreservation for women seeking to preserve future reproductive potential: an ethics committee opinion to ASRM Ethics Committee, Fertility and Sterility, 2023. https://www.asrm.org/practice-guidance/ethics-opinions/planned-oocyte-cryopreservation-for-women-seeking-to-preserve-future-reproductive-potential-an-ethics-committee-opinion/
- [4] Evidence-based outcomes after oocyte cryopreservation for donor oocyte in vitro fertilization and planned oocyte cryopreservation: a guideline to ASRM Practice Committee, Fertility and Sterility, 2021. https://www.asrm.org/practice-guidance/practice-committee-documents/evidence-based-outcomes-after-oocyte-cryopreservation-for-donor-oocyte-in-vitro-fertilization-and-planned-oocyte-cryopreservation-a-guideline/
- [5] Predicting the likelihood of live birth for elective oocyte cryopreservation: a counseling tool for physicians and patients to Goldman et al., Human Reproduction, 2017. https://academic.oup.com/humrep/article/32/4/853/3056229
- [17] Egg Freezing Success by Age: Outcomes Data to Extend Fertility, accessed April 2026. https://extendfertility.com/your-fertility/egg-freezing-success-rates/
- [6] Oocyte vitrification as an efficient option for elective fertility preservation to Cobo et al., Fertility and Sterility, 2016. https://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(15)02157-7/fulltext
- [3] Comparing Egg Freezing Costs Across the U.S. and Why Location Matters to Cofertility, accessed April 2026. https://www.cofertility.com/freeze-learn/comparing-egg-freezing-costs-across-the-u-s-and-why-location-matters