A growing number of women in the United States are choosing to freeze their eggs, but only a small percentage are returning to use them later, according to new research from UCLA Health.
The study, published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, examined data on elective egg freezing, also known as oocyte preservation, from 2014 to 2021.
During that time, the number of planned egg freezing cycles increased nearly fourfold, from just over 4,000 in 2014 to more than 16,000 in 2021.
Despite this dramatic rise, only 5.7 percent of women who froze their eggs between 2014 and 2016 had come back to use them within five to seven years of follow-up.
One of the most notable changes highlighted in the study is that women are freezing their eggs at younger ages than before.
In 2014, the average age for elective freezing was 36. By 2021, that age had dropped to just under 35.
However, the women most likely to return and use their frozen eggs were those who froze them at slightly older ages. Among women who froze eggs between the ages of 38 and 42, about eight percent later returned to use them.
Researchers were surprised at how few women overall had come back to use their frozen eggs.
They noted, however, that the follow-up period may have been too short to capture the full picture, especially for younger women who may still be years away from starting families.
“Egg freezing offers a powerful form of reproductive autonomy, and thanks to major advances in technology, the chances of success are better than ever,” said Dr. Lindsay Kroener, senior author of the study and an associate clinical professor in reproductive endocrinology and infertility at UCLA’s David Geffen School of Medicine.
Another reassuring finding was that success rates for live births using frozen eggs were comparable to national averages for in vitro fertilization with fresh eggs.
This means that egg freezing can serve as a reliable option for women who want more flexibility in planning when to have children.
Dr. Mabel Lee, the study’s first author and a fellow in reproductive endocrinology at UCLA Health, explained that this evidence is encouraging for patients. “It shows that egg freezing can give people more options without lowering their chances of success later on,” she said.
The researchers emphasized that longer-term studies will be needed to determine how many women eventually return to use their frozen eggs. For now, the results show a clear trend: egg freezing is becoming increasingly common, even if most women are not yet ready to take the next step.
