Questions to Ask Your OBGYN About Egg Freezing

When you first start thinking about egg freezing, it might not be obvious where to begin. Should you go straight to a fertility clinic? Talk to your regular doctor? Ask your friends who've been through it? While there are many paths to gathering information, your OBGYN can be an excellent first stop on your information-gathering process.

As a doctor who knows your medical history and has been monitoring your reproductive health, your OBGYN is uniquely positioned to help you understand your fertility and explore whether egg freezing might make sense for you. They can order initial testing, review your health history for any red flags, and help you understand your options for the future.

While OBGYNs typically don't perform the egg freezing procedure themselves, they play an important role in the process. They can order and interpret initial fertility testing, provide referrals to specialists, and offer valuable insights about your reproductive health. Many people find that starting the conversation with their OBGYN helps them feel more confident and informed before taking the next step of consulting directly with a fertility clinic.

This article covers key questions to ask during your appointment, from basic fertility testing to finding the right fertility clinic. We'll also help you understand what information your OBGYN can (and can’t) provide about egg freezing, so you can make the most of your visit.

What to know before your appointment

Your OBGYN can offer initial fertility testing and recommendations, but most don't perform egg freezing procedures themselves. Think of this visit as an important first step in understanding your fertility health and options. Come prepared with your medical history, menstrual cycle information, and any specific concerns you'd like to address.

Start with questions about your current fertility health:

• What fertility testing do you recommend for someone my age?
• Can we check my AMH (anti-müllerian hormone) levels?
• Would you recommend an ultrasound to check my antral follicle count?
• Given my age and health history, what's your perspective on egg freezing timing?
• Are there any red flags in my medical history that could affect fertility?

Your OBGYN knows your health history and can also provide specific guidance about how various factors might affect fertility:

• Could my current medications affect the process?
• Do I need to make any health changes before starting the process?
• Are there any specialists I should consult first?
• Does my family history raise any concerns?
• Are there any vaccines I should get beforehand?
• Would my weight affect my ability to freeze my eggs?

Finding the right time to start the conversation

Many patients wonder when they should first bring up egg freezing with their OBGYN. While there's no wrong time, there are several moments when it might feel most natural:

• During your annual exam
• When discussing birth control changes
• After a significant life event (like a new cancer diagnosis)
• When you're approaching an age where fertility becomes a greater concern
• If you're experiencing irregular periods
• When discussing family planning generally

Your OBGYN can help contextualize fertility in relation to your overall health, so don't hesitate to raise the topic during any visit but keep in mind that due to time constraints, you may need to come back for another visit. This is much more likely if you are already being seen for another main concern. 

As an example, a thorough annual involves significant preventive counseling so there typically isn’t enough time for an OBGYN to complete the annual and adequately address your fertility questions, especially if you have several of them. They can usually answer a few questions, perhaps collect bloodwork, but they’ll likely ask that you return at another date so they can spend that entire visit digging into your questions. The same goes for if you’re being seen for irregular or painful periods, hormone concerns, etc. Most providers are only given 20 minutes per patient so there may not be enough time for them to address multiple concerns and counsel you appropriately on your fertility so don’t be surprised if a second visit is recommended. 

Understanding your hormone test results

Once you've completed initial hormone testing, there are additional questions you can ask:

• What do my hormone levels indicate about my fertility?
• How do my results compare to others my age?
• Based on these results, what's your recommendation about egg freezing timing?
• Should we repeat any of these tests? If so, when?
• Do you have any fertility specialists or clinics you recommend? (if relevant)

These are great questions to ask via a virtual visit if your provider offers them. If you don’t have another appointment for a while, you may be able to ask these questions over email or the electronic health record system (like MyChart). 

Making the most of your appointment

To get the most helpful information from your OBGYN:

1. Bring a list of your questions
2. Take notes or record the conversation (with permission)
3. Ask for clarification if something isn't clear
4. Request written materials or resources
5. Find out the best way to follow up with additional questions

What your OBGYN might not know

While OBGYNs are experts in reproductive health, they might not have detailed information about:

• Specific success rates at local fertility clinics
• Exact costs for egg freezing procedures
• Detailed protocols used by different fertility specialists
• Storage options and fees
• Insurance coverage at specific clinics

Those are all questions you should save for the fertility clinic.

The bottom line

Talking to your OBGYN can be a great first step in exploring egg freezing. They can provide initial fertility testing, identify potential medical concerns, and direct you to trusted specialists. Their knowledge of your medical history, combined with their expertise in reproductive health, makes them well-positioned to help you start this process.

Remember that while OBGYNs offer important medical insights, they're just one part of your support system. The next step typically involves consulting with a fertility clinic that specializes in egg freezing. These specialists can provide detailed information about the process, success rates, and options specific to your situation.

If you're ready to take the next step after speaking with your OBGYN, consider exploring your options with Cofertility. We can help you navigate the egg freezing process through our Keep and Split programs, which offer a new approach to making egg freezing more accessible (and even free when you donate half to a family that can’t otherwise conceive). Our team can connect you with top fertility clinics and provide support throughout your egg freezing experience.

Whatever path you choose, starting the conversation with your OBGYN can help you feel more informed and empowered as you explore your fertility preservation options. Come prepared with questions, but remember that this initial consultation is just the beginning of your information-gathering process.

Read More:

• What's the Right Age for Fertility Testing?
• What’s the Best Age to Freeze My Eggs?
• What's the Egg Retrieval Process Like?
• Can I Freeze My Eggs If...