Oocyte cryopreservation, commonly known as egg freezing, is a medical process designed to preserve fertility for future use. The direct answer to whether this procedure stops a person’s period is no; egg freezing does not lead to the permanent cessation of the menstrual cycle. While the hormonal treatments required will temporarily interrupt the body’s natural rhythm, the menstrual cycle is expected to resume quickly after the procedure is complete. The treatment cycle is carefully timed to work with the body’s existing reproductive schedule, not to halt it indefinitely.
How Hormone Stimulation Affects the Cycle
The temporary suspension of the natural cycle occurs because the body’s hormonal signals are overridden by administered medications. A typical menstrual cycle prepares only one dominant follicle, but the goal of egg freezing is to retrieve multiple mature eggs. To achieve this, fertility specialists use controlled ovarian stimulation.
This stimulation phase involves daily injections of synthetic gonadotropins, such as Follicle-Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH). These medications instruct the ovaries to mature a larger cohort of follicles than they would in a natural cycle. The high levels of administered hormones suppress the body’s own production of regulatory hormones, effectively pausing the normal sequence of events that leads to a natural period.
In some protocols, a suppression phase precedes the stimulation to ensure all follicles start growing at the same rate. This involves using antagonist medications to prevent the natural surge of LH, which would otherwise trigger premature ovulation. For the 10 to 14 days of the stimulation phase, the body operates under the control of these external hormones, temporarily preventing the hormonal drop-off required to start a period.
The Return of the Menstrual Cycle Post-Procedure
Once the egg retrieval procedure is complete, the high levels of hormones that were circulating in the body suddenly begin to decline. The ovaries, which were producing large amounts of estrogen and progesterone under stimulation, are no longer supported by the daily injections. This sharp reduction in hormone levels causes the uterine lining, which had built up during the stimulation phase, to shed.
This resultant bleeding, which typically occurs within three to ten days following the retrieval, is called a withdrawal bleed, not a true menstrual period. It can often be heavier or more uncomfortable than a typical period because of the greater thickness of the shed lining. The ovaries then require time to fully recover from the stimulation and begin producing their own hormones again in a regular pattern.
The first true, naturally regulated menstrual cycle usually begins approximately four to six weeks after the egg retrieval. During this initial adjustment period, some people may experience a temporary change in their cycle, such as a flow that is slightly heavier or lighter than usual, or minor changes in the timing of ovulation. These temporary variations are normal as the body’s natural hormonal feedback loops reset themselves.
Does Egg Freezing Affect Long-Term Cycle Regularity?
There is no evidence to suggest that egg freezing has a lasting impact on a person’s menstrual cycle regularity or their ovarian reserve. The ovaries quickly resume their normal function after the procedure. Most individuals report that their menstrual cycle returns to its pre-treatment pattern within two to three cycles.
The process of ovarian stimulation utilizes follicles that were already designated to perish through a natural biological process called atresia. By retrieving these eggs, the procedure does not deplete the overall, long-term supply of eggs or accelerate the onset of menopause. Egg freezing is a temporary intervention that works within the parameters of the reproductive lifespan.