Miss Matthews can now offer egg freezing for ladies who are likely to reach menopause earlier, or who have gynaecological problems like endometriosis or pelvic infection, that may have an adverse effect on fertility. It can also be considered for single women under 38 years.

New refinements of the methods used to freeze eggs (vitrification) in the last couple of years have resulted in a huge improvement in their fertility potential and minimal concern about safety. The procedure involves 12 days of hormone injections followed by a 15 minute operation through the vagina under a light anaesthetic to collect the eggs. These eggs can be stored for up to 10 years initially. This time period may be extended in certain circumstances.

In the event that a woman might subsequently be unable to conceive, or if she decides to have a child without a partner, then the eggs may be thawed and fertilised with her partners (or a donor) sperm. Freezing eggs at a younger age means that older women using them  to become pregnant have a lower risk of miscarriage and birth abnormalities when compared with an older woman who becomes pregnant naturally or through other types of fertility treatment.
 
About eighty percent of eggs that are frozen will now survive when they are thawed.  This gives women the opportunity to safely delay trying for pregnancy, and the ability to have a healthy baby as they get older.  Egg freezing heralds the dawn of a new era in fertility preservation, and enables single women to be pro-active in managing their future fertility. It is the ultimate insurance policy.