Introduction
Everyone considering egg freezing asks how many retrievals it takes to feel secure. Clarifying the goal and your personal context keeps the plan realistic.
Reaffirming the Purpose of Egg Freezing
Egg freezing preserves the option of pregnancy later. It’s about banking enough high-quality eggs—fewer are usually needed at younger ages, while later in life you typically need more.
Recommended Egg Counts and Cycle Estimates by Age
Use target freeze counts and typical retrieval yields to back into a cycle estimate for your age group. Remember that AMH and ovarian response create a broad range.
| Age | Target eggs | Avg. eggs / cycle | Estimated cycles |
|---|---|---|---|
| ≤34 | Around 15 | ~10–15 | Often 1 cycle |
| 35–37 | 20–25 | ~8–12 | Around 2 cycles |
| 38–40 | 25–35 | ~6–8 | 3+ cycles |
| 41+ | 40+ | ~4–6 | Plan for 4+ cycles |
Maintaining similar pregnancy odds generally requires more eggs as age increases. Individual AMH levels and response shift these numbers.
Three Factors That Determine the Number of Cycles
- ① Age & egg quality: higher aneuploidy risk means more eggs.
- ② AMH & response: higher AMH often yields more eggs per cycle.
- ③ Goals: plan roughly 20 eggs for one child, 30+ if you hope for more.
Estimated Cost and Timeline
| Item | What it covers | Typical range |
|---|---|---|
| One retrieval | Testing, stimulation, retrieval, freezing | JPY 400k–700k / cycle |
| Storage | Annual storage for ~10 eggs | JPY 20k–30k / year |
| Overall timeline | One cycle ≈ 1 month; multiple cycles ≈ 3–6 months |
Total cost scales with your target count and per-cycle yield. Share the goal number early with your clinic to align expectations.
Summary
Cycle needs depend on age, AMH, and goals. Younger patients may reach their target in fewer rounds; later ages often require more. Aim for the number that gives you confidence, and treat the first cycle as a learning step.