Oocyte cryopreservation, or egg freezing, is a method of fertility preservation that involves retrieving and storing a woman’s unfertilized eggs for future use. An Intrauterine Device (IUD) is a highly effective, T-shaped device placed inside the uterus to prevent pregnancy. Women often ask if they can freeze their eggs while an IUD is in place. The answer is generally yes, as the procedures are compatible. Egg freezing targets the ovaries, while the IUD primarily exerts its contraceptive effect locally within the uterus, meaning the two processes function in largely separate anatomical areas.
The Steps of Egg Freezing
The egg freezing process is a controlled medical cycle designed to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs. It begins with an initial evaluation, including blood tests and an ultrasound, to assess a woman’s ovarian reserve and overall reproductive health. This is followed by the Ovarian Stimulation phase, which typically lasts between 10 and 14 days.
During ovarian stimulation, the patient administers daily injections of synthetic follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and often luteinizing hormone (LH). These high-dose medications encourage several ovarian follicles to develop simultaneously, overriding the natural cycle which usually produces only one dominant follicle. Progress is closely monitored through frequent transvaginal ultrasounds and blood tests to track follicle size and hormone levels. Once the follicles reach an optimal size, a final injection, known as the “trigger shot,” is administered. This shot initiates the final maturation of the eggs so they can be retrieved approximately 36 hours later.
IUD Compatibility During Hormonal Stimulation
The high-dose hormones used for ovarian stimulation do not interfere with the function of an IUD, allowing the device to remain in place. Hormonal IUDs release a localized amount of progestin, which thickens cervical mucus and changes the uterine lining to prevent pregnancy. This hormone release is confined to the uterine environment and does not interact negatively with the FSH and LH medications used to stimulate the ovaries.
Non-hormonal IUDs use copper to create a local inflammatory response that prevents fertilization. Since copper IUDs contain no hormones, there is no chemical conflict with the injectable stimulation medications. Studies have confirmed that the localized contraceptive mechanism does not compromise the ovarian stimulation process, finding no difference in the number or quality of eggs retrieved from women with or without a hormonal IUD.
Managing the IUD During Oocyte Retrieval
Oocyte retrieval, the surgical step of egg freezing, is performed using a transvaginal approach. The procedure uses a fine needle connected to a suction device, guided precisely by a transvaginal ultrasound probe. The needle is carefully passed through the vaginal wall and into the ovary to aspirate the fluid and eggs from the mature follicles.
The ovaries are located superior and lateral to the uterus, meaning the IUD is situated well away from the needle’s path. Clinicians use ultrasound guidance to visualize and avoid the uterus and the IUD entirely during the procedure. Since the IUD is contained within the uterine cavity, it presents no obstruction or safety concern to the needle’s trajectory toward the ovaries, meaning it does not need to be removed.
Storage and Long-Term Decisions
Following retrieval, the mature eggs are immediately processed and undergo cryopreservation, typically using vitrification. These frozen eggs are stored in liquid nitrogen tanks until the patient is ready to use them in a future in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle. Since the IUD remains safely in place during the entire process, it continues to function as contraception afterward.
The decision to keep or remove the IUD after the egg freezing cycle is separate from the preservation process itself. Many patients choose to keep the device because it offers highly effective, continuous contraception. The timing of IUD removal is a personal decision based on future family planning goals and is not dictated by the egg freezing procedure.