Everything You Need To Know About Egg Freezing In Hong Kong

Chances are you have at least one friend considering egg freezing in Hong Kong. Maybe you are as well? Here’s what you need to know before putting those baby plans on ice.

We ladies have enough going on day to day to worry about that biological clock! But, it does seem that no matter what, society pushes us (gently or otherwise), through the same predictable steps — through the dating game, on towards marriage (if that’s your jam!) and next thing you know it seems like everyone is enquiring about the state of your ovaries. Whether you definitely know kids are on the cards, or merely a faint possibility in the future, it’s only natural to consider your options when it comes to fertility and egg freezing.

Editor’s Note: All advice is general. For the most accurate and up-to-date  information consult your doctor or fertility specialist.

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Why Do Women Freeze Their Eggs?

We may as well ask how long is a piece of string? At a most basic level, it’s obvious, to delay having children. Having said that, each woman will have their reasons based on their individual circumstances. Maybe she wants a reserve just in case. Perhaps she was diagnosed with a medical condition that is known to impact fertility. She could be career focused or knows deep down she wants a family but hasn’t met the right person yet. The list is as infinite as the number of women in the world.

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Is It Legal To Freeze Your Eggs In Hong Kong?

Yes! But…

Whether it’s for medical reasons or personal choice, the good news is that egg freezing in Hong Kong is legal. However, there are rules set out by the Council on Human Reproductive Technology around when you can use those eggs. Some of the rules include:

• You must be legally married — particularly important for those in same-sex relationships
• You can store your eggs for up to 10 years, or until you turn 55 (whichever comes first)

If you do end up considering sperm donation to create embyros, then you’ll also need to consider the legalities of the birth certificate and rights of that child.

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What Is The Process For Freezing Your Eggs In Hong Kong?

Essentially you will follow the first few steps of IVF. You’ll then hit pause on the process while your eggs are on ice, before picking it up again when you decide to try to fertilise your eggs and implant your embryos.

The process takes around two weeks, starting at the beginning of your menstrual cycle. First up you’ll take medication to stimulate your ovaries, essentially tricking them into producing a large number of eggs.

Your doctor will advise when you should take some final injections to trigger ovulation, and then you’ll undergo a minor surgical procedure (which is still surgery!) to collect as many eggs as possible.

If you’re not fertilising your eggs immediately, they will then be frozen and stored.

Hopefully, once will be enough, but there is a chance your doctor will recommend another round of egg collection.

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How Expensive Is Egg Freezing In Hong Kong?

If there’s one thing we know about the private Hong Kong medical system it is that it sure isn’t cheap! For an accurate price you’ll need to consult your fertility clinic and ask for a full lists of the costs. This should itemise everything from doctor’s consult fees (and how many you will need), exploratory blood tests and medications as well as the cost for the actual procedure and storage. Expect to pay at least $100,000 for one cycle of egg collection and storage for a year. Then there will be ongoing storage costs and costs for IVF if you choose to pursue that path.

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What Happens Next? Storing Or Using Your Eggs

Well that, my friend, is up to you. You might meet the love of your life and fall pregnant naturally, never needing that back up plan. But it could be that life throws you some curveballs along the way and those eggs you stored become the ace up your sleeve.

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Important Things To Consider Before Freezing Your Eggs In Hong Kong

• Are you planning on staying in Hong Kong. Frozen eggs are extremely fragile and therefore expensive and risky to transport. What will you do if you move overseas? Likewise, what will you do if you don’t plan on marrying your partner, or decide to pursue single-parenthood?
• A baby is not guaranteed. Just because you have frozen your eggs does not mean you will definitely get your baby. The Women’s Clinic has some great resources explaining the stats around embryo creation and live births from frozen eggs.
• Your age. We’ve all heard the stats, a women’s fertility steadily declines in her early 30s before essentially falling off a cliff later. If you are pursuing the process later in life then you may need more rounds of egg collection (but you’ll presumably have less storage fees).

Ultimately, this is a big decision, but also only one that you can make. Do your research. Talk to your doctors. The best thing that you can do is go into the process as informed as you can be.

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Additional Resources And Clinics For Egg Freezing In Hong Kong

• Council on Human Reproductive Technology — Not a user-site, but a wealth of information. www.chrt.org.hk
• IVF Hong Kong — The Assisted Reproductive Technology Unit of the Chinese University of Hong Kong. www.ivfhk.com
• Union Hospital Reproductive Medical Centre — Run from the hospital in Sha Tin and the medical centre in Tsim Sha Tsui. www.ivfhongkong.com
• Hong Kong Assisted Reproduction Centre — Central, Hong Kong. www.hkarc.com.hk
• Hong Kong IVF Centre — Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. www.hkivf.com
• Hong Kong Reproductive Medical Centre — Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon. www.fertility.com.hk
• IVF Centre — Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital, Hong Kong. www.hksh.com
• ProlIVFic A.R.T. Centre — Central, Hong Kong. www.pivf.com.hk
• The IVF Clinic at The Women’s Clinic — Central, Hong Kong. www.thewomensclinic.com.hk

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