I had always been on the fence about kids, mostly because I never wanted to be pregnant.
The thought of being weighed down by a baby, not being able to perform my regular workouts, and the most terrifying thing of all (childbirth), was a major deterrent. But being a gay woman, finding a partner who does want to carry was always a possibility, so the door was never bolted shut.
There was also the feeling of not being fully ready, and the disruption to my life and goals. Having kids meant compromising my rigorous morning routines, my 9:00pm bedtimes, the freedom to travel, and the ability to work out when and where I wanted. Maintaining a romantic relationship was difficult enough.
Kids didn’t seem like something in the cards. And I liked the idea of a life built entirely around freedom.
And you know what? That decision would have been okay. I don’t think it’s selfish to choose not to have kids. It’s not for everyone. I know many people who chose a childfree life and are deeply fulfilled and happy with that decision. I genuinely thought I would be one of them.
But in 2024, everything changed.
I got injured, and my run streak ended. I couldn’t run—and could barely walk—for nearly a year. Overnight, I was robbed of my primary mental health tool.
Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, at the end of that year, my fiancé walked away, and I had to deliver the news to friends and family that the wedding was off.
There’s a saying that our lowest points present the greatest opportunities for growth. And grow, I did.
As I healed emotionally from the breakup, I healed physically too. But I wasn’t the same person. How could I be after a year of truly believing I might never run again? My priorities completely shifted.
Instead of chasing my next performance goal, I wanted a dog, being fully aware it would disrupt my life in the best possible way. Getting a dog is a huge, life-changing responsibility. My days began revolving around when she needed to go out, be fed, or exercised. I brought her everywhere I could. I didn’t want to leave her home alone for hours. I wanted her to have the best life possible, and that meant sacrifice.
But I was more than happy to make it.. my gal, Billie, made me realize that caring for something outside myself offered rewards far richer than any finish line I’d ever crossed.
Then, only a few months after Billie came home, I met a woman whose Hinge profile said that kids were a must. Old me would have been terrified to entertain someone so certain when I was so uncertain. But for some reason, it didn’t scare me. In fact, I welcomed it.
And to my own surprise (and the surprise of everyone closest to me), I began to genuinely want a family. It’s interesting how the partner you choose can completely reshape something you once felt so certain about. There was no pressure from her—just possibility. And that possibility felt exhilarating.
Fortunately, she wanted the pregnancy experience, which removed my biggest fear about starting a family: carrying the baby myself.
Family Planning
While it may seem early in a relationship to start planning a family, I’m 36, and unfortunately, these eggs have an expiry date.
If Kenz and I were going to build a life together, a family would be part of it. And if that was going to be a sure thing, I needed to start planning now. Freezing my eggs felt like the most logical first step.
We decided that if we moved forward, Kenz would carry my egg for our first child, and carry her own egg for the second. Using my egg would require IVF (more on that later), which increases the chances of having twins. We decided that if we had twins with my egg, we’d go for a third so she could carry one of her own too.
These were big conversations. And surprisingly, I enjoyed them.
We also agreed we’d use the same anonymous sperm donor for both pregnancies, so each of us would share a biological tie to our children. Family planning looks different for every couple, and this was simply the version that felt right (and exciting) for us.
You have to be aligned on this kind of thing. Otherwise, someone ends up resentful. And this felt fair. It made sense.
The Decision to Freeze My Eggs
Researching egg freezing was initially overwhelming.
The cost alone ranged from $15,000–$20,000+ CAD. On top of that, I wouldn’t be able to exercise for three to four weeks during the injection phase and recovery. That part hit me harder than the cost.
I couldn’t help but think that if I were still deep in my run streak, would I have even considered this? Would I have sacrificed my workouts for a future family? Or would I risk ovarian torsion like a moron and run through it all? Old me might have.
But life has a strange way of reshuffling your priorities. Sometimes the worst things that happen to us, like getting injured, turn out to be the best things for us.
Despite all the negatives: the cost, the physical toll, the missed workouts, I still decided to go for it. If we’re going to go forward with this plan, why wait? My chances of fertility would only decrease the older I got, and I was fortunately in a financial position to be able to budget for this upcoming large expenditure. It seemed worth it to me.
What This Post Covers
In this post, I’m going to outline in detail the entire end-to-end process of freezing my eggs. I tried my best not to skimp on the details, but have included a little table of contents below so you can skip ahead to any of the sections you’re most interested in.
The Egg Freezing Process at Olive Fertility (Vancouver)
The First Consultation: What to Expect
The Real Cost of Egg Freezing in Canada
Egg Freezing Orientation
The Egg Freezing Process: Medications, Injections & Ovarian Torsion Risk
Egg Retrieval Surgery
Recovery After Egg Retrieval: Hormones, PMS & Reset
Understanding Your Egg Freezing Results (VIOLET Report)
Bonus: How I Saved Thousands on Treatments Using a PHSP (For Self-Employed Canadians)
Remember that this was my experience, and yours will likely look much different. But if you’re on the fence, my hope is to show you that while yes—this is expensive as hell—preserving the option to have kids (whether you use it or not) can be worth the cost.
The Egg Freezing Process at Olive Fertility (Vancouver)
When researching fertility clinics, Olive Fertility quickly rose to the top for a few reasons.
First, a friend of Kenz’s had gone through IVF there, resulting in a successful pregnancy and had nothing but positive things to say. Second, the Google reviews reinforced that. Third, the clinic is a five-minute drive from my apartment, which, during something as logistically intense as fertility treatment, matters a lot. And finally, Olive participates in the B.C. Ministry of Health’s Publicly Funded IVF Program, which can fund up to $19,000 for one IVF cycle. We couldn’t apply for the funding right now given we decided only to go the freezing route, but hopefully we can in the future once we’re ready to start a family (and if the funding is still available).
The first step is booking a consultation, but Olive requires a referral from a family doctor. I scheduled a phone appointment with my doctor, and she sent the requisition the same day. About a week later, we received an email prompting us to create an account, complete our profiles, and submit the required forms.
And then we waited.
A week later, we received an email outlining the process ahead. Before a consultation could be scheduled, we had to complete preliminary testing. Only once those results were submitted and reviewed, they would book our virtual consult.
From our research, the egg freezing cycle only seemed to be about 6-8 weeks so I thought I would conveniently slot it in after my August race in September. I’d be done by November and could start my 200-mile training shortly thereafter. Unfortunately, fertility services are in high demand and I grossly underestimated how long it would even take to get started.
Just to set your expectations, our first consultation wasn’t booked until October 30th – 2.5 months after we completed all the required forms. It ain’t an instant thing, so if you’re looking to start the process, the earlier you can get that requisition from your doctor, the better!
The First Consultation at Olive Fertility: What to Expect
Before the consultation, I was given a requisition to get some bloodwork done to test my AMH levels which measures your ovarian reserve (egg quantity). I got the bloodwork on 23rd in the Novavita Lab (one floor above the Olive Fertility Clinic). The blood test was not covered by my insurance and cost around $100, but was worth it.
Our first consultation was virtual with a doctor and PhD student at Olive, and it was nothing short of overwhelming.
In less than 60 minutes, we were introduced to IVF cycles, donor sperm selection, embryo transfers, Intrauterine insemination (IUI), genetic testing, family planning pathways, and more. We left with pages of notes, but somehow still felt like we hadn’t asked half of our most pressing questions.
During the call, the doctor explained that the most cost-efficient route, and the one with the highest probability of pregnancy, would be to fertilize my eggs now, create embryos, and freeze those instead of freezing eggs alone.
That sounded great and all, but there was a downside and it was a big one: We would have to choose the donor sperm now.
Kenz and I had only been together for 6 months at that point. While rationally, it did make sense to go the donor sperm/embryo freezing route, neither of us were ready to make such a huge life decision. Needless to say, I’m very glad we were both on the same page..
From not thinking I’d have kids at the start of the year, to choosing a donor sperm 10 months later seemed just a bit too extreme.
Biology vs. Readiness
Women have added time pressure of a biological clock that may push us in a direction that’s not necessarily right for us now. Our doctor said the ideal time for us to have kids is this moment.
Of course, it is.
If you have good fertility, the highest probability of pregnancy is when you’re young. But the rational choice isn’t necessarily the right one. There’s many, many other factors at play, which the doctor also acknowledged. The length and health of your relationship, finances, goals and aspirations, your living situation, etc. Neither of us felt ready and to be honest, having kids with where we’re currently at, would have likely been an irresponsible choice.
So we both agreed to go forward with my egg freezing for now. Kenz is 31 years old—much younger than me—so it made sense to freeze my eggs which would relieve some time pressure on starting a family.
Donor Sperm
While we didn’t pursue embryo freezing at this stage, the clinic walked us through what that path would involve.
If you choose to use donor sperm, the first step is booking a 30-minute “implications counselling” session with one of Olive’s assigned counsellors. This session is designed to explore the psychosocial aspects of using donor sperm, which is paid out of pocket (unless covered by insurance).
After counselling, you attend a donor sperm orientation call with Olive where they review approved sperm banks, how to choose a donor, the ordering process, storage logistics, and genetic screening considerations. One important step is carrier testing to ensure you and the donor don’t carry the same recessive genetic condition.
For reference, here were the approximate costs we were given:
- Igenomix carrier testing = $600 CAD.
- Donor sperm vial: $1,375–$2,175 CAD (Most fall between $1,700–$1,975 CAD, plus $75 handling per order)
- Storage fee: $750 CAD annually (If storing multiple vials or a single vial longer than 2 months)
We were told one vial is often sufficient for a single IUI or IVF cycle, though that can vary.
The Real Cost of Egg Freezing in Canada
On the topic of cost, let’s get into the price tag to do this.
Olive is very transparent with their pricing (you can find it on their website under the Egg Freezing section).
But here’s what it actually looked like for me: the advertised cost for one egg freezing cycle, which includes orientation, monitoring, egg retrieval surgery, freezing, and one year of storage, is $9,950 CAD. My final bill came in slightly lower than expected. I paid $9,650 CAD total.
Here’s the breakdown of fees:
- IVF Egg Freeze Setup & Monitoring: $3,000
- Egg Retrieval (OPU), Lab Work & Freezing: $5,900
- Annual Egg Storage (Year 1): $750
- Total Paid: $9,650
The more unpredictable cost is the medication. This can vary widely depending on your insurance coverage (if you have any) and how your body responds to the hormone stimulation. The first phase which involves oral medication didn’t come with a hefty price tag, but the injections were substantial. You’re typically prescribed a minimum of nine days of injections, and then you continue purchasing additional medication until your eggs are mature enough for the trigger shot.
In other words, there’s no fixed number. It’s impossible to know the final medication cost in advance. If you’re uninsured, budgeting for the higher end (up to $10,000 for a single cycle) is a smart move so there aren’t any financial surprises. I was fortunate to have private insurance that covered about 80% of the medication costs. My out-of-pocket total came to roughly $2,000.
Because I’m self-employed, I was also able to claim that entire amount as a business deduction through a PHSP account (see the bonus section at the end of this post for more details).
If you’re unsure about coverage, you can request the DIN numbers for the medications from the clinic and check directly with your insurance provider. Egg freezing is not cheap. But for me, preserving the option felt worth it.
Egg Freezing Orientation & Preparation
Once we decided to move forward with freezing my eggs, the next step was booking an orientation call. But before I could even put something on the calendar, I had homework.
I had to watch several instructional videos, complete a short quiz in an online module, and sign multiple consent forms. Only after finishing those steps could I call the office and schedule the orientation, which ended up being booked a few weeks later.
The purpose of the call was to walk through the two main phases of the cycle:
- The Priming Phase
- The Antagonist (Injection) Phase
The nurse reviewed the medications, recommended supplements, and what to do, and not do, during each stage. All of this information was uploaded to Olive’s online portal, but much like the first consultation, it felt like a firehose of information. I took detailed notes, and Kenz listened in and did the same so we could compare afterward and make sure we hadn’t missed anything.
One reassuring detail: the nurse gave me a direct contact number and extension to reach the fertility team. If I called before 3 pm, they promised to return the call the same day. That level of access made the process feel more manageable. There were going to be questions, and at least I knew I wouldn’t be left hanging.
The Egg Freezing Process: Medications, Injections & Ovarian Torsion Risk
The “Long Estrace Prime” Phase
The first phase of egg retrieval is the “priming” phase. During this stage, I was prescribed two medications designed to boost estrogen levels before beginning injections:
- Lupin estradiol for 21–28 days
- Provera, overlapping with the final 7 days
The goal was to help regulate and prepare my ovarian follicles for stimulation.
I was instructed to call Olive’s office on the first day of my period and begin lupin estradiol on day two. After finishing both medications, there would be three days of no medication. During that time, I was expected to get another period, but if it didn’t arrive, not to worry. It would likely come during the injection phase instead.
During this phase, the nurse recommended supplements including a pre-natal vitamin, folic acid, and co-enzymes to help improve the chances of egg quality (600mg/day), and said popular choices were Nature’s Bounty or AOR.
I did my own research and settled on the NESTLÉ Materna Prenatal Multivitamin Supplement and for the co-enzymes, I started with Sports Research CoQ10 because I really like the brand, but when finished that bottle (which went quick with a 600mg/day dose), I switched to Nutrawave CoQ10 because it was slightly cheaper.
I was told that during the priming phase, I could continue my normal activities. Workouts were fine. Tylenol and Advil were allowed as needed.
I started the priming phase in December, right before travelling to Costa Rica then to Ontario for 10 days over the holidays. My last day of medication was on Christmas day. I had to attend an in-person injection training on December 28th, and then begin the antagonist phase on the 29th. It was a whirlwind, I tell ya.
When I first called to book the injection training, I was surprised by how little availability there was. There was only one slot left before I was scheduled to start injections, and luckily they managed to fit me in.
But I couldn’t help wondering: what if they hadn’t? Would I have had to delay the cycle? Start over? Would all that priming have been wasted? Fertility treatment is deeply personal, but it also depends on systems, scheduling, and capacity. And sometimes, that part feels just as anxiety-inducing as the treatment itself.
The Medications
Another source of anxiety? The medications.
Because my cycle was scheduled around the holidays, some of Olive’s suppliers were closed, and there was a chance they wouldn’t be able to source all of my medications in time before I left for Costa Rica.
No stress at all…
I decided to order through my local pharmacy (London Drugs) because they offer direct billing to insurance—something Olive does not. The downside? Lag time. Most pharmacies don’t keep fertility medications in stock. They’re expensive and can take days to arrive, sometimes longer during peak seasons or holidays.
Olive’s recommendation was to order the first nine days of injection medication through the pharmacy if I wanted to go that route, then switch to picking up subsequent doses directly from Olive (who had the medications on-hand). That way, once monitoring begins and timing becomes critical, I wouldn’t risk delays.
Because once you enter the injection phase, timing is everything. Doses are adjusted based on bloodwork and ultrasound results. If your follicles are progressing faster (or slower) than expected, medication needs can change quickly. Waiting “a few days” is no longer an option.
The Antagonist (Injection) Phase
While jabbing a needle into my stomach multiple times a day for nearly two weeks didn’t exactly sound appealing, it wasn’t the needles themselves that gave me the most anxiety. It was the mixing of the medication, the injection instructions, and the fact that I couldn’t exercise during this phase.
I had to avoid impact activities (running, cycling, hiking), heavy weightlifting, and twisting movements due to the risk of ovarian torsion—a rare complication (less than 1% of cases) but a medical emergency if it occurs. When your ovaries are enlarged from stimulation, they’re more vulnerable. During this phase, I was also not able to take any Advil, but could continue taking Tylenol as needed.
The Medications
While each patient is different, I was prescribed Menopur, Cetritide, and Revokelle. Each of the medications had very different instructions.
Rekovelle was the simplest. It came in a pre-filled pen that had to be stored in the fridge. After priming it once, I just set the dose, injected, and held the button down until removing it.
Cetrotide required mixing the medication with a large needle before administering.
Menopur was the worst. It took the longest to mix because of my dose. My daily dose was 75 IU, which meant mixing three separate vials of powder with saline before combining them into one injection. It took the longest to prepare, burned the most going in, and caused mild bruising, but this was normal, I was told.
Olive provided alcohol wipes, Q-caps for mixing Menopur, and a sharps container for disposal.
The Schedule
For the first 9-days:
- Rekovelle: Morning, between 6–9 aam
- Menopur: 10–12 hours later
On day seven, I added Cetrotide, which had to be taken at the same time every morning (it prevents premature ovulation). There was about a one-hour window on either side, but I was meticulous because too much was at stake.
The first few days, I followed the instructional videos step by step, terrified I’d miss something. But eventually, I got the hang of it. Honestly, It wasn’t as bad as I imagined. The needles are small, and the injections themselves are quick. A few stung, but most were okay so long as I changed the injection site. But everyone’s experience is different—and I’d be remiss not to say yours might feel harder or easier than mine.
Side Effects
The first week, I was bloated, hormonal, moody, and my boobs were enormous.
It felt like PMS on steroids. And without running to regulate my mood, I was more reactive than usual. Olive warned me about potential fatigue, mild nausea, mood swings, headaches, and redness at injection sites. I didn’t experience much nausea or headaches, thankfully. Overall, it was manageable, just emotionally amplified.
Monitoring
On day six, I went in for bloodwork to check my estrogen levels. Based on those results, I was booked for my first ultrasound on day nine (typical, though it can vary). They told me to expect 2–3 ultrasounds during this phase and anywhere from 9–12 days of injections. I was also instructed to stay hydrated and drink electrolytes (Gatorade or coconut water).
I had an ultrasound on day 9 (the Tuesday) and day 11 (the Thursday), and was told that I would be ready to take my trigger shot on the Friday. After the trigger shot, the surgery is 36 hours later, and was told my the nursing team that they would call me Friday afternoon to tell me the exact time I needed to administer it.
I got the call with an 11pm trigger shot time, and my egg retrieval surgery was scheduled for Sunday at 9:00 am. The timing of the trigger shot is precise. Down to the hour.
Egg Retrieval Surgery: What to Expect
When I first heard what the operation entailed…getting a needle stuck up my vagina and eggs extracted, I was kinda horrified, but they reassured me it wasn’t just a rogue needle. It’s guided by a transvaginal ultrasound probe—the same kind used during monitoring—which made it feel slightly less medieval.
The surgery itself is quick (about 20 minutes). But I was asked to arrive an hour early, and told to plan to stay roughly 45 minutes afterward so they could monitor my vitals. I also needed to arrange a ride home because of the sedation, and wasn’t allowed to drive for 24 hours.
Before the procedure, the nurse gave me Tylenol, Gravol, and Ativan (for anxiety), and hooked me up to an IV. I was awake the entire time but lightly sedated, with local freezing administered beforehand.
The freezing was the most uncomfortable part. There was pressure and some discomfort. And then the probe was inserted. After that, things got hazy. I remember feeling loopy and some mild pressure, but nothing particularly dramatic. The whole thing was over before I fully processed that it had even started.
Recovery After Egg Retrieval: Hormones, PMS & Reset
After the procedure, I was wheeled into recovery, where Kenz was waiting. While you’re still coming down from sedation, they tell you how many eggs were retrieved, but not how many are mature and viable for freezing yet. That update comes later that day, once the embryology team has assessed them.
Still feeling kinda high, a nurse burst into the room, visibly excited, and told us they had retrieved 19 eggs. I was still in a daze, but apparently I high-fived her and based on her enthusiasm assumed that the results were good!
Many people retrieve far fewer eggs—and that can be completely normal. While averages vary, this was far above the normal range for my age of 8-12 eggs. Every body responds differently, but quantity is only part of the picture—the quality matters more.
The first day I was exhausted for obvious reasons and slept for several hours after the surgery. The nursing team suggested pounding back some salty food to help with recovery, so on the way home, we stopped at Tacofino. Sadly, I was too exhausted to enjoy my buffet of tacos when I got home and went straight into my bed. When I woke up, I immediately pounded back the cold tacos and relaxed with some Netflix before getting a call from one of the nurses.
Out of the 19 eggs retrieved, 18 were mature and freezable. They told me that was well above average for my age. I definitely lucked out. We celebrated with ice cream, and I was asleep by 8 pm.
The next day, I actually felt pretty good. But shortly after, I slipped right back into PMS mode and got my period just four days later. The nurses told me that after that first post-retrieval period, it would feel like a reset—that I’d start feeling like myself again.
But if I’m being honest, as I write this a few months later, it took longer than that. My hormones were still quite whacky and my period after was a little late. According to what I read, it can take 6-8 weeks for your body to fully regulate again.
Understanding Your Egg Freezing Results (VIOLET Report)
If you made it this far, thanks for sticking with me! I know this is a lot of information to take in, but we’re almost through it.
About a week later, I received an AI-generated report called VIOLET, which was developed by Future Fertility.
The report outlined the number of mature eggs retrieved, the predicted number of embryos those eggs could yield, and my estimated probability of achieving at least one live birth. I also got a page of images of the eggs they froze which was pretty cool.
Here’s a screenshot of my report results so you can get an idea of what to expect:
VIOLET uses population data and predictive modelling to estimate outcomes based on age and egg count. Of course, it’s still a projection, not a guarantee. Egg quality, fertilization rates, embryo development, implantation, and countless other variables come into play later. So while my results were promising, I’m not really sure if my eggs in actuality will result in a live birth… but it put my mind at ease for now.
How I Saved Thousands on Fertility Treatments Using a PHSP (For Self-Employed Canadians)
While reviewing Olive’s accounting documentation, something caught my eye: there’s a legitimate way for self-employed Canadians to reduce the cost of fertility treatments.
If you’re incorporated (or a sole proprietor in certain cases), you can use a Private Health Services Plan (PHSP) to convert personal, after-tax medical expenses into fully tax-deductible business expenses.
Simply put, you pay the medical expense personally, submit it through a PHSP, pay ~10% admin on the claim (plus GST/HST on that admin fee), then your business deducts 100% of the eligible expense including the admin fee.
The reimbursement is tax-free to you, and the expense reduces your taxable income. Yes, there’s an admin fee, but the tax savings typically outweigh it significantly.
How to Calculate Your Own PHSP Savings
Here’s a simple step-by-step formula you can use:
Step 1: Calculate Total PHSP Cost
Total PHSP Cost = Treatment Cost + (Treatment Cost × Admin %) + (Admin Fee × GST/HST %)
Step 2: Calculate Tax Savings
Tax Savings = Total PHSP Cost × Marginal Tax Rate
Step 3: Calculate Your Real Out-of-Pocket Cost
Net Cost After Tax = Total PHSP Cost − Tax Savings
Step 4: Calculate Total Savings vs Paying Personally
Savings = Treatment Cost − Net Cost After Tax
Real Example
Now let’s plug in some real figures.
Treatment Cost: $9,650
Admin Fee: 10%
GST on admin: 5%
Marginal Tax Rate: 38% (rough average for business owners, roughly equivalent to earning ~$100K in personal income in BC)
Step 1: Total PHSP Cost
Admin Fee = $9,650 × 10% = $965
GST on Admin = $965 × 5%= $48.25
Total PHSP Cost = $9,650 + $965 + $48.25 = $10,663.25
Step 2: Tax Savings
$10,663.25 × 38% = $4,052.04
Step 3: Net Cost After
$10,663.25 − $4,052.04 = $6,611.21
Step 4: Total Savings vs Paying
$9,650 − $6,611.21 = $3,038.79
So even after paying 10% admin fee and GST on the admin fee, you would still save $3,039. That’s roughly 31% cheaper than paying personally, and this doesn’t even include medication costs—which can also be claimed. That’s huge!
PHSP Providers
When I first signed up, I went through an advisor and paid ~$300 in setup fees. If I could do it again, I’d go directly through a provider and skip the middle step to save a bit on costs. Navancorp is a reputable Canadian PHSP administrator and one I’d recommend. If you do sign-up, mention my name (“Emily Rudow”) on the enrolment form, and they’ll waive the $79 enrolment fee.
*Important Disclaimer: I am not an accountant or tax professional. The information shared above is based on my personal experience and general publicly available guidance regarding Private Health Services Plans (PHSPs) in Canada. Tax rules vary depending on your business structure, province, and individual financial situation. Before setting up a PHSP or claiming medical expenses through your corporation, consult with your accountant or a qualified tax advisor to ensure it’s appropriate for you.
Final Thoughts
Overall, my experience with Olive Fertility was extremely positive despite some of the overwhelm at times. The nurses and doctors were so friendly, patient, and helpful. At no point during this process, did things feel rushed or my concerns dismissed. I reminded myself at the outset that many other women went through this process and to trust that if I listened attentively and followed the instructions, things would go smoothly. And they did.
I’m excited to continue working with the Olive team when I’m finally ready to start a family.
I hope you found this information helpful, and wishing you the very best on your fertility journey❤️!