Egg-freezing sees demand surge across cities as infertility rises

Rising infertility, delayed motherhood and increased awareness are driving demand for egg freezing across India, with clinics reporting a surge in inquiries from urban women

A growing number of Indian women are turning to egg-freezing as a way to take control of their reproductive futures, as delayed motherhood, increasing infertility, and growing awareness around fertility preservation drive demand across the country. In vitro fertilisation (IVF) chains and fertility specialists report a marked uptick in inquiries — with some seeing as many as 500-800 inquiries per month — for what was once considered a niche service.

 

The Indian egg-freezing and embryo-banking market was valued at $206 million in 2023, and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17.4 per cent to reach $632.5 million by 2030.

 

 

“While many women are postponing family-planning to focus on education, careers, and personal goals, awareness of medical egg-freezing is increasing among women with conditions such as Polycystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis or those undergoing fertility-impacting treatments like chemotherapy,” said Abhishek Aggrawal, chief executive officer (CEO), Birla Fertility and IVF. He added that their centres are receiving 500-800 egg-freezing enquiries per month.

 

"At our clinics, we find that egg-freezing is most commonly chosen by professionals who are early to mid in their careers, who are aware of fertility preservation and want to plan their timelines proactively. These professionals include a significant number of women from corporate and entrepreneurial backgrounds. We are also seeing growing interest from doctors and healthcare professionals. These women see fertility preservation as an important part of both their personal and professional planning," Aggrawal explained. 

 

Experts also believe that egg-freezing will become a core part of fertility services in the coming decade — both from medical and commercial standpoints — as the industry is witnessing a steady demand. Beena Muktesh, clinical director-IVF at Motherhood Fertility & IVF, Gurugram, stated: “We are seeing a steady rise in egg-freezing inquiries. While about 15 per cent of our consultations in 2023-24 focused on egg-freezing, this year there has been a 20-25 per cent increase in consultations specifically for elective egg-freezing.”

 

Currently, egg-freezing represents a small fraction of the fertility services market in India. But industry leaders expect this to change. “While precise revenue contributions are difficult to quantify, trends in India appear to reflect patterns seen in the US and Europe, where both revenues and patient numbers for egg-freezing have risen steadily in recent years,” Aggrawal said. “In India, the segment is gaining traction, especially in urban areas and among working professionals,” he added.

 

Google Trends data shows searches for “egg freezing” in India have risen by over 150 per cent in the last year, with the highest traction in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru.

 

Clinics across the country are seeing this translate into action. For instance, at Yellow Fertility, which currently has three centres, monthly egg-freezing inquiries average 50-60, with a growing share of women in their late 20s and early 30s. “It’s about giving women choices,” said Ambika Bhaik, the company’s CEO. “Whether it’s career, health, or simply not being ready, every frozen egg represents the ability to plan life on one’s own terms,” Bhaik added.

 

The surge is being felt most sharply in metro cities such as Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, and Pune, but Tier-2 cities, including Ahmedabad, Chandigarh, Kochi, Indore and Lucknow, are also witnessing steady growth as awareness and accessibility increase.

 

The cost of egg-freezing typically ranges between ₹80,000 and ₹250,000 per cycle, depending on the clinic, city, and specifics of treatment. “This includes consultation, diagnostic tests, hormone injections, egg retrieval, freezing, and storage. Hormonal medication alone can take up a big share of the cost,” stated Gauri Agarwal, founder of Seeds of Innocence. Most clinics bundle in the first year of storage, with annual charges thereafter between ₹10,000 and ₹30,000.

 

To expand reach, providers are offering flexible payment plans and modular packages. “At Yellow Fertility, we’ve introduced instalment-based and customisable programmes to make egg-freezing financially accessible for middle-income women,” Bhaik said. 

 

Experts also revealed that the rise in egg-freezing is closely tied to increasing infertility rates, particularly as more women delay marriage or childbirth due to career or personal reasons. Egg-freezing is now increasingly seen as a form of reproductive insurance.

 

Mahesh Koregol, national strategy director (fertility specialist) at Nova IVF Fertility, Koramangala, Bangalore, stated: “As fertility naturally declines with age, egg-freezing allows women to preserve their eggs when they are healthier and more viable.” The egg-freezing process is also the start of the IVF cycle, where eggs are retrieved, frozen, and later fertilised when the individual is ready to conceive. “It serves as both a preventive and preparatory measure to manage future fertility risks,” Koregol added.

 

Experts believe the ideal window for egg-freezing is before 35 years of age, when egg quality and quantity are still favourable. "While it can still be done after that, success rates drop with age due to natural ovarian aging," said Shweta Mittal Gupta, senior fertility specialist at Sir Ganga Ram Hospital and secretary general of Indian Fertility Society.

 

Experts also attribute the rise in egg-freezing to broader changes in social norms, better fertility education, and corporate support. Nova IVF said more than 80 companies have collaborated with it in the past two years to hold fertility education sessions. Shobhit Agarwal, CEO, Nova IVF Fertility, stated: “There is greater awareness of procedures like egg-freezing, thanks to conversations on social media and celebrities opening up about it.” 

 

Data from multiple providers points to the emergence of a distinct demographic: working women, mostly in their early-to-mid 30s, from professional backgrounds such as IT, healthcare, aviation, law, and entrepreneurship. Increasingly, this also includes single women and non-resident Indians (NRIs) who want to preserve their fertility options for the future.

 

With India's total fertility rate (TFR) of 1.9 children per woman being below the replacement level of 2.1, experts say that fertility preservation services like egg-freezing could play a vital role in addressing future demographic and reproductive challenges.

 

As technology improves and stigma around assisted reproductive options declines, fertility specialists expect egg-freezing to become a routine part of reproductive healthcare in India over the next decade.