Egg retrieval feels like a part of the journey we don’t actually talk about much as people with MRKH, it can feel like it’s all about the end goal of being a parent. There is so much out there on surrogacy, adoption and womb transplants, but this bit, egg retrieval without immediately pursuing motherhood, feels a bit like that awkward middle step that we just have to ‘get through.’

But that was so far from my experience. At 24, single, not ready for motherhood, I decided to have my eggs retrieved and frozen this year. Honestly, I have absolutely no regrets, but I was definitely in the minority when I look at all of the other people I met at the clinic. For me, this chapter of my story is a stand-alone one, and it truly has changed how I feel in myself. I remember being asked by my consultant why I wanted to do it, and I said, very simply, “because it just feels right.” I didn’t need to dig deep or justify myself, that answer was accepted at face value, and we went for it.

It worked massively in my favour, and my consultant once told me “I wish everyone did it at this point.” I was at my healthiest physically, the chances of success were at their highest, and it worked out so well.

Honestly, it was also an incredibly difficult journey in places. From having to make huge decisions like who my eggs would go to if I died, to other decisions about my body that I didn’t feel ready for yet, it was a lot to take in, and there were moments where I felt truly out of my depth. I was supported every step of the way, from a friend at work helping me write a very difficult email to the clinic, to the friend I rang and hysterically sobbed to when it felt like everything was moving too quickly.

Even though I have no regrets and am so glad that I have done this, there were absolutely some obstacles for me along the way. It’s an emotional journey from the moment you send that first email enquiring about it, and being in an admin, legal minefield was something I struggled with particularly navigating those steps on my own.

As someone who has vaginismus as well as MRKH, I personally found internal ultrasounds to be very difficult to tolerate, especially at the start. I had to take strong painkillers afterwards, and it took a while for the flare-up to settle down. After this, I told the clinic and I was then offered scans with a smaller probe. For me, this was much more manageable, and this made the multiple scans feel more comfortable. This is now an adjustment my clinic offers all individuals with MRKH, rather than being something you have to ask for. I also asked to have the same doctor each time doing my scans, and as someone with a more complicated anatomy, this really helped, as I didn’t have to explain everything every time. My doctor was so supportive, celebrated every win with me, and explained every step to me as we went.

Medically, my journey started with two weeks of meds to stop my cycle, then 5 days break, then the injections began. We all expected my stimulation cycle to be two weeks, and we planned and booked everything around this, but little did we know at the time, that is not how my body would respond! After just a week of stimulation, I was ready for the trigger shot, and retrieval was a couple of days after that. I then had another week of medications and injections after retrieval day, so from day 1 of meds to the very end, it was about a month. It was so quick, the journey flew by, and that’s what I didn’t feel ready for.

Watching my belly grow, seeing the follicles on the ultrasound, I began to see this as the closest I would ever get to being pregnant, and it moved quicker than what I could prepare myself for. It felt like it was over before it had begun, and when my retrieval date changed, I really struggled to accept that this experience was coming to an end already.

Retrieval day was an absolute whirlwind for all of us. My parents and I travelled to London the morning of retrieval, and I was the second person out of the six others there that morning to be called in. I had family and friends call and message me that morning, but the person I remember speaking to the most clearly was my friend Jemma, who also has MRKH! She called me just before I went in, helped me to calm down, explained everything to me, and told me she loves me, and she was the first person I messaged when I woke up too.

My consultant was so excited for me, he came in specially for my procedure, played music for me and stayed with me until I fell asleep. He had this confidence that I really haven’t been used to experiencing in a medical setting, and I just felt safe. He managed to retrieve my eggs vaginally, something we weren’t sure would be possible initially, and this made my recovery easier too. I remember bleeding for a few days afterwards, and this felt alien to me. I questioned whether it was normal (it was!), and I found it both strange and weirdly comforting to have that experience too.

The first thing I did when I woke up from the procedure was burst into tears, out of both relief for it being successful, and grief that it was over.

My experience of watching my belly grow those follicles was so quick, in pregnancy you get 9 months, and I know this isn’t a pregnancy, but as someone who can never get pregnant, this is the closest I will ever get. So, once it was over, I really grieved it. With each bruise that faded, the belly that got smaller, I found myself grieving the end of the journey, whilst also celebrating coming out the other side. It was, and is so conflicting to feel so many emotions in one go, but I can wholeheartedly say that I made the right decision at the right time for me, and that I am glad my eggs are now frozen and safe, ready for when I am ready.

This post was shared as part of our support of National Fertility Awareness Week (NFAW) 2026