Kellee Stewart was 37 when she ended a seven year relationship and began to question her fertility. After speaking to a specialist, the actress decided it was time to freeze her eggs.
Egg freezing is a major milestone in the fertility journey, and it’s rising in popularity. When you start considering your fertility at a time you’re not yet ready to have a baby, you want peace of mind that you will be able to have a healthy pregnancy when you’re ready – without the pressure of a “biological clock.” When Stewart made the decision to freeze her eggs, she threw herself a party – an egg shower.
After attending so many baby showers, she realized her fertility journey was worth celebrating too. Egg showers are a great way to bring together your support system before you undergo a strenuous and often expensive egg freezing procedure.
Advertisement | page continues below
What is an egg shower?
An egg shower is similar to a baby shower – it's a party where friends and family celebrate someone during a phase of their fertility journey. In this case, rather than welcoming a baby, they are beginning the process of freezing their eggs. And the support a party brings is warranted.
For one thing, the cost of egg freezing and fertility treatment alone is enough to make anyone rethink their decision. The average cost ranges between $5,000 and $16,000, but may be higher or lower, according to the American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). These numbers very greatly depending on the person's state, medical insurance coverage, and the amount of cycles they’ll need to go through. It’s worth it to see if grants, fertility loans, or payment plans through your fertility clinic are available to help make the process more affordable. Anyone would need to be hyped up after that deep dive!
Egg freezing is also emotionally and physically taxing, explains Janelle Jackman, M.D., board-certified OB-GYN and reproductive surgeon. If you choose to freeze your eggs, you go through rounds of lab work to check for fertility before experiencing several days of self-administered hormone injections. Once your eggs are mature, you are sedated for the retrieval procedure. Then you wait to find out if the eggs are viable to be stored. The varying emotional highs and lows throughout the process makes the built-in support of an egg shower necessary.
How to throw an egg shower
There are no hard rules about who can throw an egg shower and sometimes, the person who has decided to freeze their eggs may throw the party for themselves. Here are a few things to keep in mind if you want to throw one for yourself or a friend.
When to throw an egg shower
An egg shower is typically held when someone has already made the decision to freeze their eggs. They are either about to start the process or they're already starting their medication and need a boost of support.
Egg shower themes
You don’t need to have a theme, but if you do, you can’t go wrong with a pop culture reference. Anyone familiar with the song “Ice Ice Baby” could appreciate a Vanilla Ice theme for a shot of nostalgia to go along with their fertility celebration. You can also be creative with a breakfast-themed brunch party with enough eggs and bacon to go around.
Advertisement | page continues below
Egg shower games and activities
Some hosts lean on traditional baby shower games for inspiration. The party can even include baby items the guest of honor hopes to use one day, but that’s definitely not required. Some activity ideas include egg dying or hitting a clock-shaped pinata to represent how freezing eggs can feel like “beating the biological clock.”
More important than the entertainment, games, and invitations, is creating a supportive atmosphere with those closest to you. This is a great way to celebrate the start of an exciting fertility journey.
