Geva Mentor, England netball's most decorated player, recalls the physical toll of having her eggs frozen in 2019. Speaking to BBC Sport, she described waking up unable to stand after the process, which involved fertility drugs that stimulated a large number of eggs for retrieval.
Mentor had been at a loss about her personal life after her fourth World Cup, as she had always wanted a family. She decided to freeze her eggs at 35, timing the process for the off-season so her body could recover before elite training resumed. She said she wanted to be sure her fertility had not been affected by her years in elite sport, and preferred her early-30s eggs over later ones.
Egg-freezing is becoming increasingly visible in elite sport, with Chelsea and the Spanish Football Federation recently announcing support for players who want to freeze their eggs. For female athletes, whose careers often peak during their most fertile years, the option can be especially appealing. Still, the practice remains a subject of debate, and experts stress that it offers no guarantee of a future pregnancy.
Mentor has since had a daughter after conceiving naturally. She says she has no regrets, and her frozen eggs remain available should she need them. While many have welcomed fertility support for female athletes as a major step forward, one leading women's health expert argues that important questions still remain.
Source: BBC Sport · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing