Kriti Sanon says she has frozen her eggs: Doctors explain who should consider it, how it works, what does it cost?

When actor Kriti Sanon recently revealed that she has frozen her eggs, she joined a growing list of public figures speaking openly about fertility preservation. The disclosure has sparked fresh conversations around reproductive choices, biological clocks and whether women who aren't ready for motherhood should consider preserving their fertility.

But beyond the celebrity headlines lies a more important question- who actually needs egg freezing, and is it the right choice for everyone?

Fertility specialists say the answer isn't a straightforward yes or no. While egg freezing can give women greater reproductive flexibility, it isn't a guarantee of future pregnancy. Age, ovarian reserve and overall reproductive health continue to play a crucial role.

What Kriti Sanon said

During an interview with Humans of Bombay, Kriti Sanon said, "Honestly, I froze my eggs. So there was a time when I was thinking about these questions, and I never wanted to be tied down to the fact that I need to get married now or I need to have kids now, and I am doing it because I have a timeline. Whether it's marriage or kids, you need to do it when you feel it inside. When you feel ready for it. It should not come out of a clock or some pressure, and I know not everyone can afford it. And I am fortunate that I could afford it. So, I did it."

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What exactly is egg freezing?

Egg freezing, medically known as oocyte cryopreservation, is a procedure in which a woman's eggs are collected, rapidly frozen and stored for future use. The process begins with around 10 to 14 days of hormone injections to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs. During this period, doctors monitor follicle growth through blood tests and ultrasound scans.

Once the eggs are ready, they are retrieved in a short procedure performed under sedation. The retrieval usually takes about 20 minutes, and most women are back to their normal routine within a day or two.

When the woman decides to try for pregnancy later, the eggs are thawed, fertilised using IVF and transferred to the uterus.

"The stimulation phase, which involves daily hormonal injections over ten to fourteen days, produces bloating and fatigue that most women describe as manageable," says Dr Prachi Benara, Fertility Specialist at Birla Fertility & IVF, Gurugram. "The retrieval is performed under sedation, takes roughly twenty minutes, and most women return to their normal routine within a couple of days."

Why are more women choosing it?

Women today are delaying pregnancy for several reasons- higher education, career goals, financial stability or waiting for the right partner. However, fertility doesn't necessarily follow the same timeline.

"As fertility specialists, one of the most common things we hear from women in their thirties is, 'I want children, but I am not ready yet,'" says Dr Santosh Gupta, Clinical Director and Fertility Specialist at Nova IVF Fertility, Koramangala, Bengaluru.

"The tricky part is that while life plans can be shifted, ovarian ageing can't be postponed. Egg quality and quantity keep declining over time, regardless of career progression, relationships or personal readiness."

Egg freezing allows women to preserve eggs when they are younger, potentially increasing their chances of a successful pregnancy later.

Who should consider egg freezing?

The doctors stress that the procedure is not necessary for every woman. Women who may particularly benefit include those:

-Planning to delay pregnancy into their late thirties or beyond

-Diagnosed with endometriosis

-With a family history of early menopause

-Undergoing cancer treatment such as chemotherapy

-Who have undergone ovarian surgery

-Living with autoimmune conditions that may affect fertility

"Women considering egg freezing for medical reasons, typically ahead of cancer treatment that may affect ovarian function, have a clear clinical rationale," says Dr Benara.

"For women considering it as a way of extending their reproductive options, the conversation is more nuanced."

What's the best age to freeze eggs?

This is perhaps the biggest misconception. Many women assume they can freeze eggs whenever they decide to. In reality, the earlier the eggs are frozen, the better their quality.

Dr Gupta says fertility specialists generally recommend considering the procedure before the age of 35, when egg quality is typically higher.

Dr Nayana D H, Consultant – IVF at Aster Whitefield Hospital, adds that fertility awareness should begin even earlier.

"Many women plan carefully for marriage and children but don't know where their fertility stands. Fertility doesn't always line up neatly with life plans."

She points out that ovarian reserve can decline even when menstrual cycles remain perfectly regular.

Do regular periods mean fertility is normal?

Not necessarily. One of the biggest myths surrounding fertility is that regular periods automatically indicate healthy fertility.

"One of the main misunderstandings is this idea that regular menstrual cycles somehow mean fertility is fully fine," says Dr Nayana. "Ovarian reserve can keep dropping quietly, and it's often only later, when women try to conceive in their late thirties, that they realise egg numbers are getting lower."

She recommends an Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH) blood test and an ultrasound to measure the antral follicle count, both of which provide valuable information about ovarian reserve. These tests cannot predict exactly when pregnancy will happen, but they help women make informed reproductive decisions.

Is egg freezing a guarantee of pregnancy?

No. This is one of the most important messages experts want women to understand.

"Egg freezing basically gives women a way to preserve younger eggs," says Dr Gupta. "That said, it shouldn't be treated as an insurance policy that automatically guarantees pregnancy."

Success depends on several factors, including:

-Age at the time of egg freezing

-Number of eggs retrieved and frozen

-Egg quality

-Overall reproductive health

-Partner's sperm quality, if applicable

-Uterine health at the time of embryo transfer

In many cases, doctors may recommend more than one egg retrieval cycle to freeze enough eggs for a meaningful chance of pregnancy later.

How much does egg freezing cost in India?

The cost varies widely depending on the clinic, city and the number of cycles required. Typically, one egg freezing cycle in India costs between Rs. 1 lakh and Rs. 2.5 lakh, excluding medications in some centres. Annual storage charges usually range from Rs. 10,000 to Rs. 30,000, although prices differ across clinics.

Doctors caution against choosing a clinic based solely on advertised package prices.

"What a consultation before the procedure should cover is the number of eggs that would realistically need to be frozen to give a meaningful chance of a future pregnancy, how many cycles that might require, and what the annual storage commitment involves," says Dr Benara.

"A general cost estimate shared outside that clinical context is rarely useful because the actual requirement varies considerably from person to person."

The conversation is bigger than one celebrity

Kriti Sanon's disclosure has undoubtedly brought renewed attention to egg freezing. But fertility specialists hope the conversation doesn't end there.

"The talk should really move past celebrity headlines and toward fertility awareness," says Dr Gupta. "Egg freezing is not about postponing motherhood forever. It's about giving women the chance to shape future reproductive decisions with more options."

Dr Nayana agrees, adding that fertility awareness deserves the same attention as contraception and cervical cancer screening.

Knowing your ovarian reserve doesn't mean you must freeze your eggs. It simply means you have more information to make choices before age-related fertility decline quietly narrows them.