Rita Ora has revealed on an Australian television show that she had her eggs frozen in her early 20s. The 26-year-old British singer said her doctor recommended the procedure as she had 'always wanted a big family.'
Dr Helen O'Neill of University College London supported the decision, stating 'the earlier you freeze your eggs the better.' However, she warned that egg freezing is not an 'absolute guarantee' for pregnancy and many young women cannot afford the cost of around £5,000 per cycle.
Dr O'Neill noted a significant decline in egg quality after age 30, yet the average age for women to freeze eggs is 35, which she described as 'a little bit too late.' In the UK, the number of women storing their eggs has risen sharply, with 816 women freezing eggs for IVF in 2014, up 25% on the previous year.
According to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, the birth rate using frozen eggs was about 14% in 2013, with lower success for women over 38. Dr O'Neill said modern freezing techniques offer comparable success rates to fresh eggs and should be 'promoted a lot more.'
Prof Adam Balen, chairman of the British Fertility Society, cautioned that not all eggs survive the freezing process, so it is not an absolute guarantee for future pregnancy. Ms Ora acknowledged this, saying she wanted to 'be safe' despite her young age.
