Fertility Glossary

Fertility preservation

Freezing eggs, sperm, embryos or tissue to allow the chance of having children later.

Preservation may be medical (before treatment that could affect fertility) or elective. NHS funding for medical preservation exists but criteria vary by area.

Also known as: fertility freezing

Related United Kingdom guides

Fertility Preservation on the NHS
Fertility After Cancer Treatment

Sources

HFEA — Treatments
NHS — Fertility preservation

Last reviewed: 23 September 2026. Written by the Antega Editorial Team. General information only — always follow the advice of your own clinic, doctor or pharmacist.

Related terms

Egg freezing

Collecting and vitrifying eggs for future use.

Sperm freezing

Storing sperm samples at very low temperatures.

Embryo freezing

Vitrifying embryos created through IVF for later transfer.

Oncofertility

Fertility care for people with cancer.

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