Rita Ora has revealed on an Australian television show that she had her eggs frozen in her early 20s, a decision that doctors say is a positive step for fertility preservation. The British singer, now 26, said her doctor recommended the procedure as she had always wanted a big family.
Dr Helen O'Neill of University College London said: 'The earlier you freeze your eggs the better.' However, she cautioned that it is not an 'absolute guarantee' for pregnancy and noted that many young people cannot afford the cost of £5,000 per cycle. Dr O'Neill added: 'The benefits are that you are taking your fertility into your own hands. If you're checked and you have a low fertility, it's best to act early.'
In the UK, the number of women storing their eggs has increased substantially. In 2014, 816 women froze some eggs for IVF later, up 25% on 2013, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority. The birth rate for using frozen eggs was about 14% in 2013, lower for women over 38.
Prof Adam Balen, chairman of the British Fertility Society, said: 'Young women are freezing eggs in order to preserve fertility for the future, but have to understand not all eggs will survive the freezing process and be able to be fertilised. So it's not an absolute guarantee for pregnancy in the future. But the younger you freeze eggs the more fertile they are.'
Ms Ora said she was already aware the process may not mean she would have a baby in the future and said: 'I know people might say, wow, that's so young. I just wanted to really be safe.'
