Women encouraged to freeze eggs

British women will soon be able to freeze their eggs using new Japanese technology.

Two fertility clinics have announced that they will begin offering the technique, called vitrification, later this month as the process involving the removal of water from the eggs which are then frozen in liquid nitrogen has a higher rate of success than previous methods.

Dr Simon Fishel, managing director of Care Fertility, which will be offering the new service, said: "Until now, the conventional technology has been used to freeze eggs mainly only if it is a dire last resort for women who want to preserve their fertility before having cancer treatment.

"But, with this new technology, which is almost as efficient as fresh IVF, it might make a lot of sense for women in their twenties to have their own bank of eggs stored if they are considering not having a family until their late thirties."

Care Fertility has about ten clinics across the UK.