Ask Her Anything: An expert answers common questions about fertility, egg freezing, and more

October 7, 2025 | 7 min read

Starting a family isn’t always a smooth experience. "The fertility and family growth journey can be accompanied by significant emotional and financial challenges, and each experience is unique," says Jennifer Foubert, Assistant Vice President and Head of Product & Growth for Group Benefits at Manulife Canada. According to Manulife claims data, the use of medications to treat infertility jumped 14.6 per cent between 2023 and 2024. Another sobering statistic: 95 per cent of Canadian workers say their employers currently have no formal support for expectant parents¹.

Shyna Asaria, a registered nurse and fertility awareness educator with Maven Clinic, a virtual clinic specializing in women’s health, says women are often looking for reliable advice and more holistic care through this stage. Below, she answers some of the most common questions she receives from clients.

“I hear this question frequently -- we now know that infertility affects one in six individuals². It’s important to acknowledge that struggling to conceive can be a frustrating, confusing, isolating, and deeply emotional time. It doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you.

Fertility is influenced by many interconnected factors. Medically, for individuals with ovaries, common causes include ovulatory disorders (like PCOS), age-related decline in egg quality, hormonal imbalances, or issues with the uterus or fallopian tubes. For individuals with sperm, concerns may relate to sperm count, motility, or morphology. Sometimes, it’s a combination of factors in both partners. In about 10 to 20 per cent of cases³, we find no clear explanation — what we call “unexplained infertility” -- and from what I’ve experienced counseling patients, it’s probably the most frustrating response of all.

There is an emotional toll that is very real. Each menstrual cycle can be a painful reminder of hopes unmet. Many individuals describe feeling broken, anxious, or obsessed with timing, ovulation tests, and symptom tracking. Naturally, this can also be a strain on relationships, sexual intimacy, and even a person’s identity.

Day to day, this struggle can affect your mood, concentration, energy, and sleep. It can disrupt routines, interfere with work, and create a heightened sense of urgency and pressure with each passing month. I often recommend patients consider therapy or counseling while on this journey, to help keep a positive mindset.”

“Egg freezing, or oocyte cryopreservation, begins with an initial consultation with a fertility clinic, which includes a comprehensive review of your medical history, blood tests to assess ovarian reserve, and an ultrasound to count your starting amount of follicles. Those follicles are essentially where potential eggs will develop.

Once you’re ready to proceed, you’ll start a 10- to 14-day cycle of follicle stimulating hormone injections to stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs instead of just one. During this time, you’ll go to the clinic every few days to closely monitor your response. When your eggs are considered ready, you’ll receive a “trigger shot” to prepare them for retrieval.

The retrieval procedure is typically done under light sedation and takes about 20 to 30 minutes. A thin needle is used to collect the eggs directly from the ovaries, guided by ultrasound. The mature eggs are then frozen rapidly using a process called “vitrification” – a technique that helps protect their quality.

In Canada, the average cost for one cycle is typically at least $8,000 to $15,000 with some clinics including the cost of medication and first year’s vitrification in the fee, plus $300 to $500 annually for storage after that⁴. The number of eggs you need depends on your age and goals; sometimes more than one cycle is recommended.

I remind my egg freezing clients that oocyte cryopreservation is not a guarantee of pregnancy later, but it can significantly improve your chances if you plan to conceive at an older age.”

“This first visit is an opportunity to gather information, understand your options, and create a clear plan. It usually involves a comprehensive medical history, a review of any previous lab results, and a discussion about your goals and timeline. I encourage patients to prepare a list of questions in advance so you can leave feeling informed, empowered and better able to make decisions when the time comes. Some key questions to ask your Reproductive Endocrinologist (REI):

• What could be causing my fertility difficulties?
• What tests should I undergo and what will each of them tell us?
• What are my treatment options and their success rates for someone my age and profile?
• How long should I stick with a treatment before trying something new?
• Should I make changes to my lifestyle or diet to improve my chances of conceiving?

Follow-up visits could include additional diagnostics (like hysterosalpingogram to check fallopian tubes) or the start of a treatment cycle, such as ovulation induction, intrauterine insemination (IUI), or in vitro fertilization (IVF). Some questions around these might be:

• What is this clinic’s fertilization, blastocyst development, and live birth rates specific to my age group/health profile?
• Is your lab accredited and how often is it inspected?
• How do you handle cryopreservation and thawing?
• What security and identification systems are in place to prevent mix-ups?
• Do you perform genetic testing (PGT-A/PGT-M) on-site or send samples elsewhere?

Emotionally, walking into a fertility clinic can be overwhelming, but it’s also a step toward answers. Asking the right questions ensures you understand your path forward and can feel more in control of your care.”

This story was originally published in La Presse on September 18, 2025.

This article is for informational purposes only. It is not intended to diagnose or treat a condition. If you have questions or concerns about your specific situation or are seeking medical advice, contact your medical doctor or your health-care provider.

A note about gender:
While we use the term “women,” “female,” and “men” and “male” in this article, we recognize that these terms are not inclusive of all gender identities and that the health issues addressed here may be relevant to individuals across the gender spectrum

About Maven Clinic:
Maven is the world’s largest virtual clinic for women and families on a mission to make healthcare work for all of us. Maven’s award-winning digital programs provide clinical, emotional, and financial support all in one platform, spanning fertility & family building, maternity & newborn care, parenting & pediatrics, and menopause & midlife. More than 2,000 employers and health plans trust Maven's end-to-end platform to improve clinical outcomes, reduce healthcare costs, and provide equity in benefits programs.