How Are Frozen Eggs Moved Between Clinics?
If you've decided to move your frozen eggs to a different clinic, the first question is usually the same: is this a big risk?
The good news is that moving frozen eggs is a well-established process, however like everything in life it is not 100% risk free.
In the UK, movement of eggs, sperm, embryos and other biological material happens routinely between licensed clinics, and they stay frozen throughout. There are also strict rules, both from the HFEA, the UK fertility regulator, and from the clinics themselves, about how, when, and by whom this can be done.
This article walks through what happens, what permissions are needed for transporting eggs, and what to ask before you agree to anything.
Why might you need to move your eggs?
There's no single reason. Some of the most common ones we hear at Egg Advisor include:
Changing fertility clinic: perhaps because you've found one with better outcomes for your age group, more flexibility, or a clinician you trust more.
Moving home: relocating to a different city or part of the country can make your original clinic impractical.
Reducing storage costs: some long-term storage facilities are cheaper than keeping your eggs at the clinic where you froze them.
Clinic closure or restructuring: clinics occasionally close, merge, or stop offering certain services.
Changing treatment plans — if you decide to use donor sperm, do IVF with a partner abroad, or pursue a different protocol, your current clinic may not be the right fit.
There's nothing unusual about any of these reasons. Your eggs are yours, and you're entitled to move them.
Can frozen eggs really be moved safely?
In short: yes, if it's done properly.
Frozen eggs are kept at around -196°C in liquid nitrogen, which is what stops them from ageing or deteriorating. As long as they stay at that temperature, they don't know whether they're sitting in a clinic in London or being driven up the M1.
Eggs are transported in containers called dry shippers, sometimes also referred to as cryogenic dewars. These are double-walled vacuum flasks designed for medical use. They hold liquid nitrogen vapour rather than free-flowing nitrogen, which means they're safe to handle and transport, and they keep eggs at the correct temperature for up to around 20 days, far longer than any UK journey would take.
The HFEA confirms that eggs being moved must be cryopreserved in a tube first and then shipped in a container that is designed for the transport of biological materials and that maintains the safety and quality of the eggs.
Importantly, there's no good evidence that properly transported eggs are damaged by the journey.
The technology that keeps your eggs safe
Three things make safe transport possible.
Specialist cryogenic shippers. These are not Tupperware boxes. A dry shipper is engineered to hold ultra-low temperatures for days at a time without needing to be topped up. The container is sealed and cannot be opened during transit.
Continuous temperature monitoring. Most reputable couriers use containers fitted with temperature loggers, so any change can be detected.
Trained, dedicated couriers are the best way. Unlike a normal parcel service, you can engage specialist fertility couriers usually hand-carry the shipment. The container stays with the courier from collection at the sending clinic to delivery at the receiving clinic.
The permissions you'll need
Under the Human Fertilisation and Embryology (HFE) Act 1990, every transfer of eggs between licensed UK clinics has to meet specific conditions, set out in HFEA General Direction 0006. In practice, this means three sets of approvals are usually involved.
1. Approval from your current (sending) clinic. Before they release your eggs, the clinic needs to:
Confirm that you are the rightful owner of the eggs.
Check that your consent forms are still valid and up to date.
Verify that the eggs are within their lawful storage period.
Complete a movement-out record that travels with the eggs.
2. Approval from the receiving clinic. Not every clinic will accept eggs from elsewhere. Some only treat patients whose eggs were frozen at their own facility. The receiving clinic must:
Hold an HFEA licence to store eggs.
Confirm in writing that they will accept your eggs.
Have a third-party agreement in place with the sending clinic, covering quality, traceability and responsibility.
3. Your written consent. You will be asked to sign release forms, transport authorisation forms, and updated treatment paperwork. This is the moment to read everything carefully. If something is unclear, ask. You may also be asked to provide identification at both ends to confirm the eggs being released and received belong to you.
The medical records that travel with your eggs
Eggs aren't moved on their own. Your records go too, because the receiving clinic needs them in order to use your eggs safely. Typically these include:
Your treatment history.
The freezing record — when, how, and by whom your eggs were frozen.
The number and quality of eggs in storage.
Lab documentation, including the freezing method (vitrification is now standard).
Infectious disease screening results from before your egg-freezing cycle.
A copy of your consent forms.
It is a good idea to ask for your own copies of these records, in case the sending clinic ever closes or changes its IT system.
What happens on the day of transport
A typical day looks like this:
The courier arrives at the sending clinic at the agreed time.
An embryologist removes your eggs from the storage tank and transfers them into the dry shipper.
The container is sealed and labelled in line with HFEA Direction 0006.
The courier transports it — by car, by train, or occasionally by flight — directly to the receiving clinic.
On arrival, the receiving embryologist signs for it, opens the shipper, and transfers your eggs into their storage tank.
Both clinics log the movement in their records, and the relevant notification is filed with the HFEA.
Most UK transfers are completed within a single day. Hand-carry services, where a courier physically accompanies the shipment, are the best choice because they remove the risk of the container being mishandled in a depot.
What it might cost in the UK
Costs vary, but UK domestic transport is normally less expensive than international shipping. You should expect to pay separately for:
The transport itself.
Any fees the sending clinic charges for releasing the eggs.
Any fees the receiving clinic charges for accepting and storing them.
Insurance, where it is offered. Though in reality it is very hard to put a price on eggs.
Always ask for a written quote in advance, broken down by line item, so you can see exactly what you're paying for.
Questions worth asking before you agree
Who is responsible for the eggs while they are in transit?
Is insurance included, and what does it actually cover?
How is the temperature monitored throughout the journey?
Is the courier hand-carrying the shipment, or sub-contracting to a third party?
What happens if there is a delay?
How many transfers like mine has the courier completed in the past year?
Will the receiving clinic accept my eggs in writing before transport begins?
Will I get a copy of all my records to keep myself?
If a clinic or courier struggles to answer any of these, that's information in itself.
A final thought from us
With a properly licensed clinic, a specialist courier, and the right paperwork, the process is well-trodden and safe. The harder part is often the emotional one — handing over something so personal to someone you don't know.
If you're thinking about moving your eggs and would like a calm, independent conversation about your options, you can always get in touch with our team who have experience of moving eggs first hand.
Egg Advisor is independent and does not provide medical advice. We share information based on official UK guidance, peer-reviewed research, and the experience of our community. Any decision about moving your eggs should be discussed with your fertility clinic and a qualified clinician.
