Egg cryopreservation annual maintenance in Turkey: what the yearly fee covers
Egg cryopreservation annual maintenance is the yearly storage service that keeps frozen eggs safe after the freezing cycle itself is finished. The eggs sit in sealed straws or on carriers inside a cryotank of liquid nitrogen at about minus 196 degrees Celsius, and the fee pays for the tank space, nitrogen refills, temperature and level monitoring, alarms, record keeping and the staff and laboratory standards that go with them. It is a separate charge from the freezing procedure, which usually includes one year of storage, after which the annual fee begins.
This guide is for women who already have eggs stored in Turkey, or who are comparing the long-term cost before they freeze. It explains what is paid for, what the evidence says about eggs in storage, approximate fees against the UK, US and Germany, how storage periods and consent work, how to move eggs if you change clinic, and what to ask before you sign. The freezing cycle itself is covered in our guide to egg freezing in Turkey, and the wider range of fertility services is in our IVF and fertility treatments in Turkey overview.
How are frozen eggs kept safe in storage?
Modern clinics freeze eggs by vitrification: the egg is dehydrated with protective solutions and cooled so fast that ice crystals do not form. It is then stored in a labelled straw or device and lowered into a cryotank. Safe storage rests on routine rather than technology: tanks are topped up on a schedule, nitrogen level and temperature are logged, alarms signal a drop, and many laboratories keep a back-up tank and a generator or alert system so that a failure at night is noticed. Each device carries an identity code that is checked whenever eggs are moved, to avoid mix-ups. Ask a clinic to describe, not just claim, how its monitoring and emergency plan work.
Do eggs deteriorate while they are stored?
At minus 196 degrees biological activity effectively stops, so there is no evidence that eggs age during storage; the number of years in the tank is not what limits the chance of a baby. The most significant factor is your age when the eggs were frozen, together with how many eggs were stored and the skill of the laboratory that froze and later thaws them. Professional bodies such as the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) note that vitrified eggs survive thawing well in experienced hands, but that success rates are lower than many people expect and no number of stored eggs guarantees a live birth. Eggs frozen in the early thirties are generally more likely to succeed than eggs frozen later.
Egg cryopreservation annual maintenance cost in Turkey compared with the UK, US and Germany
The figures below are approximate yearly storage fees, not hospital quotes. Some clinics charge a lower rate if you pay several years in advance; others add an administration charge or bill for each straw.
| Country | Approximate yearly storage fee |
|---|---|
| Turkey | €80 – €450 |
| United Kingdom | €150 – €500 |
| United States | €350 – €1,100 |
| Germany | €150 – €600 |
The yearly difference between countries is small compared with the cost of the freezing cycle, so the decision to store eggs in Turkey should rest on the laboratory's quality, its contract terms and how easily you could move the eggs, not on a saving of a few hundred euros.
What changes the annual price, and what should the contract state?
Fees vary with the number of straws or devices, whether the price is fixed or reviewed each year, whether a multi-year payment is discounted, and whether administration, reminder, thawing or release charges are extra. Read the storage agreement for:
- the exact amount, due date and how you will be reminded;
- how long the clinic will store the eggs and what happens if you do not pay or cannot be reached;
- who owns the eggs and what happens in the event of illness, death or a separation;
- the fee and procedure for releasing eggs to another clinic;
- what the clinic does if it closes, loses its licence or has a tank failure.
Keep a copy in your own language and ask for the English original if you plan to move the eggs abroad.
How long can eggs be stored, and who decides?
Storage limits are set by national law and by the consent you sign, not by biology, and they differ between countries. In the UK, for example, the permitted storage period was extended in 2022 and now depends on renewing your consent at set intervals. Turkey regulates assisted reproduction through its own Ministry of Health rules, which also control who may use stored material and under what conditions. Because rules change, ask the clinic to state in writing how long it will keep your eggs, how often consent must be renewed and what happens if it lapses. If you may return to your home country to use the eggs, check that country's rules too, since a clinic there may have its own conditions for accepting them.
Who needs annual storage, and is there any recovery or travel involved?
Annual maintenance is for women who froze eggs for medical reasons, before cancer treatment for example, or for personal reasons such as delaying pregnancy. There is no recovery from storage itself and no need to travel: payment is usually made by transfer, and you can review the status by email. A yearly renewal normally follows this order:
- The clinic sends a renewal notice and, if required, a consent form.
- You confirm that you wish to continue and pay the fee.
- The clinic updates its record and sends a storage certificate.
- You can ask for a count of stored eggs and a note of their storage position.
Use the renewal as a moment to review your plans. If the purpose of freezing was to preserve fertility during illness, our guide to fertility preservation describes the other options, including embryo freezing.
Keep your eggs in Turkey, move them, or use them: how do the options compare?
| Option | Best suited to | Typical limits |
|---|---|---|
| Continue storage in Turkey | Women planning treatment at the same clinic, or visiting regularly | Yearly fee continues; use abroad needs travel or later transfer |
| Transfer to a clinic in your home country | Women who want to use the eggs near home | Specialist cryo-shipping, paperwork on both sides and a receiving clinic that accepts outside eggs |
| Use the eggs now (thaw and fertilise) | Women ready for pregnancy | Not every egg survives thawing and fertilisation; see embryo cryopreservation for what happens to the resulting embryos |
| Donate or discard | Women who no longer need them | Needs written consent; donation rules differ by country |
What happens when you use stored eggs?
To use the eggs they are thawed, usually in the clinic's laboratory on the day of use, and the survivors are fertilised by ICSI, in which one sperm is injected into each egg. The resulting embryos are grown for several days and one is transferred to the womb, after your endometrium has been prepared with hormones; this transfer needs hormone treatment but not the ovarian stimulation you had for freezing. Some women also have the embryos tested. The number that survive, fertilise and reach transfer is smaller at each stage, which is why clinics advise a realistic number of stored eggs for your age. If you need a fresh stimulation cycle at the time of use, pharmacological stimulation for IVF explains how it works.
Risks and failures in egg storage, and red flags
Storage is a low-risk service, but not a risk-free one. Possible problems include a tank failure or nitrogen shortage, a labelling error, a clinic that closes or changes ownership, a missed renewal notice that leads to eggs being discarded or released under the contract, and eggs that do not survive thawing even after perfect storage. Reputable clinics are open about these. Red flags include no written contract, a storage fee that is vague or changes without notice, no answer on back-up tanks or alarms, no information on what happens if the clinic closes, and any promise that stored eggs will "definitely" lead to a baby.
How to choose a clinic and what to ask before you pay
Look for a licensed laboratory with experienced embryologists, written storage procedures, a clear price and a clear exit route. Read how our process works and use the free quote page to request a written storage quote. Questions to ask the clinic:
- What exactly does the yearly fee cover, and what is extra?
- How is the tank monitored, and what is the emergency plan?
- How long may the eggs stay, and how often is consent renewed?
- How and at what cost can the eggs be released to another clinic?
- What happens if I miss a payment or cannot be contacted?
- What happens to my eggs if the clinic closes?
Hospitals with IVF & Fertility in Turkey
Frequently asked questions
It is the yearly storage service for frozen eggs. The fee covers the cryotank space, liquid nitrogen, temperature monitoring, record keeping and the laboratory staff that look after the eggs after the freezing cycle is finished.
Approximate yearly storage fees are €80 to €450 in Turkey, against about €150 to €500 in the UK. The price depends on the number of devices stored and whether you pay several years in advance. The clinic confirms it in writing.
Biologically, eggs held at minus 196 degrees do not age in storage. The legal limit depends on national law and your signed consent, so ask the clinic to state the period and the renewal rules in writing.
There is no evidence that eggs deteriorate in liquid nitrogen. What matters most is your age when they were frozen, the number stored and the laboratory's thawing and fertilisation skill.
It depends on the contract and national law. A clinic may contact you, then release, donate or discard the eggs after a set period and written notice. Read the terms before signing and keep your contact details current.
Yes, in most cases. The eggs travel in a specialist cryo-shipper, and both clinics need paperwork and consent. Ask about the release fee and whether the receiving clinic accepts eggs frozen elsewhere.
Generally no. Renewal is usually handled by email and bank transfer, and you only travel if you decide to use or move the eggs. Check that the clinic reaches you reliably for renewal notices.
It is a low-risk service in a well-run laboratory, with monitored tanks and back-up procedures. Risks such as tank failure or labelling errors are rare, and you can ask the clinic to describe its safeguards.
Some clinics offer a lower rate for multi-year payments, but not all do. Weigh the saving against the risk that you move the eggs or the clinic changes its terms, and ask about refunds.
No number guarantees a baby. Chances fall at each stage from thawing to transfer and depend mainly on your age when the eggs were frozen, so clinics give age-specific estimates after assessing your case.