In an eggshell...
- Absolutely, women with PCOS can freeze their eggs as an option to enhance their chances of having a baby.
- While it doesn't treat PCOS-related infertility, it offers peace of mind.
- The process is quite similar, and having PCOS might mean fewer cycles but a higher risk of OHSS.
- Unfortunately, the NHS doesn't usually cover egg freezing for PCOS, so it's often a private choice in the UK.
After a few months of irregular periods, you went to your GP. They ran some tests and diagnosed you with Polycystic Ovary Syndrome. Sound familiar? Or maybe you’ve noticed some new and unexplained hair growth/acne?
Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) affects women’s hormones, often leading to irregular periods. It also comes with bunch of other symptoms: hair growth, weight gain, mood swings, and fertility issues.
As hormonal issues can stop you from ovulating, or stop eggs developing properly, PCOS often leads to infertility.
What Is Egg Freezing?
Egg freezing helps women save their eggs for fertilisation later. It involves taking hormones for a few weeks, then visiting a clinic to have the eggs removed. Before this stage, a doctor will run some tests and check the treatment is suitable for you.
For more details on this, visit our dedicated egg freezing page.
Can Women with PCOS Freeze Their Eggs?
In short: yes! You absolutely can freeze your eggs. There are some extra things to think about, though. This is a personal decision. Egg freezing won’t treat your PCOS-related infertility. But it can give you peace of mind and optimise your chances of having a baby.
The egg extraction process is similar for egg freezing and IVF. If you’re planning IVF because other treatments haven’t worked, consider freezing some eggs at the same time.1
Is Egg Freezing Different for Women With PCOS?
A lot of the process is similar regardless of whether you have PCOS. Visit our egg freezing process page for more info. But there are a few ways your egg freezing process might be different to other women.
Fewer Cycles
As PCOS can lead to increased numbers of eggs, this can make the egg collection process shorter!
Only a certain number of eggs can be collected at the end of each medication cycle. When women with PCOS have more eggs, they need to repeat the cycle fewer times.2
Higher Risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)
As we mentioned in number 1, women with PCOS can have more eggs in their ovaries.
Targeting the ovaries with hormones stimulates more follicles (containing the eggs). As more follicles react to the hormones, this increases the risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS).1
OHSS can be serious, with fluid collecting in your stomach and even around your heart. It’s important to seek medical help quickly. Read more about this in our article here.
Different Stimulation Medication
We know women with PCOS are more likely to get OHSS. But don’t worry, treatment can be targeted to avoid this.
Different hormonal medication is used to stimulate the ovaries. This means good results whilst limiting the risk of OHSS.3
Can Women with PCOS Freeze Their Eggs on the NHS?
Unfortunately, usually not. The NHS usually only funds egg freezing for women undergoing treatment that will affect their fertility.4 Take a look at our FAQs for more on this. Usually egg freezing means going private. There’s a huge variety of egg freezing clinics to choose from in the UK: the choice can be overwhelming! For help on choosing a fertility clinic, Amilis can help.
