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Dr Bassel Wattar

Egg freezing, also called oocyte cryopreservation, allows eggs to be collected and stored for possible use in the future.

It may be considered by people who want to delay pregnancy or preserve their fertility before medical treatment.

The number of egg-freezing cycles in the UK has increased, with the HFEA reporting around 6,900 cycles. However, freezing eggs does not guarantee a future pregnancy.

Choosing an experienced egg freezing specialist can help you understand the process, assess your fertility, and discuss the options that may suit your individual needs.

How We Selected These Egg Freezing Specialists

For this list, we considered several factors to identify specialists with relevant and documented experience in egg freezing and fertility preservation. These include:

  • Reproductive medicine expertise: Specialist training and experience in reproductive medicine and fertility care.
  • Egg freezing experience: Documented involvement in egg freezing, oocyte cryopreservation, or fertility preservation.
  • IVF and assisted reproduction: Experience with IVF, ovarian stimulation, egg collection, and other assisted reproductive treatments.
  • Current clinical practice: Active work with established fertility clinics or reproductive medicine services in the UK.
  • Professional experience: Relevant research, academic work, leadership roles, or long-term clinical experience in fertility care.

The specialists are presented as an informational selection rather than an official ranking, as there is no single UK-wide ranking of egg freezing specialists.

List of 10 Best Egg Freezing Specialists in the UK

Here are 10 UK specialists with experience in egg freezing, fertility preservation, and reproductive medicine:

  1. Professor Bassel H. Al Wattar – London
  2. Dr Raj Mathur – Manchester
  3. Dr Irfana Koita – London
  4. Miss Kate Maclaran – London
  5. Dr Anu Chawla – London
  6. Ms Jara Ben Nagi – London
  7. Dr Gillian Lockwood – Tamworth
  8. Dr Rami Wakim – London
  9. Dr Lara Hodges – Oxford
  10. Mr James Nicopoullos – London

Below, we explain the background and egg-freezing expertise of each specialist.

1. Professor Bassel H. Al Wattar – London

Professor Bassel H. Al Wattar is one of the leading egg freezing specialists in the UK. He is a Professor of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Consultant Obstetrician and Gynaecologist, and an RCOG-accredited subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery.

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Egg freezing and fertility preservation
  • IVF and assisted conception
  • Reproductive medicine and surgery
  • Endocrine gynaecology
  • Fertility research

He also leads an endocrine gynaecology service at the Beginnings Assisted Conception Unit at Epsom and St Helier University Hospitals. His experience in reproductive medicine and fertility preservation makes him a strong specialist for patients considering egg freezing.

Top Egg Freezing Specialist in the UK

2. Dr Raj Mathur – Manchester

Dr Raj Mathur is a senior fertility specialist and Medical Director at Manchester Fertility. He has extensive experience in reproductive medicine, IVF, fertility treatment, and fertility preservation, including egg freezing.

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Egg freezing and fertility preservation
  • IVF and assisted reproduction
  • Reproductive medicine
  • Ovarian reserve and fertility assessment
  • Consultant-led fertility care

His clinical experience also includes oversight of Manchester Fertility’s Essential Egg Freezing programme, making him a relevant specialist for people considering egg freezing in Manchester.

3. Dr Irfana Koita – London

Dr Irfana Koita has more than 20 years of experience in reproductive medicine, IVF, fertility preservation, and egg freezing. She is the founder and Medical Director of IVF Matters and provides consultant-led fertility care in London.

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Egg freezing and fertility preservation
  • IVF and assisted reproduction
  • Fertility assessment
  • Ovarian stimulation and egg collection
  • Reproductive medicine

Her egg-freezing care includes fertility assessment, ovarian stimulation, monitoring, egg collection, and freezing.

4. Miss Kate Maclaran – London

Miss Kate Maclaran is an accredited subspecialist in reproductive medicine and surgery. She has clinical experience in IVF, female infertility, fertility preservation, and egg freezing.

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Egg and embryo freezing
  • Fertility preservation
  • IVF and reproductive medicine
  • Female infertility
  • Fertility consultations

She also helps patients understand whether egg or embryo freezing may be more suitable based on their individual fertility needs and plans.

5. Dr Anu Chawla – London

Dr Anu Chawla is a senior reproductive medicine specialist with experience in egg freezing, IVF, and advanced fertility care. Her wider clinical interests include PCOS, endometriosis, reproductive immunology, and fertility treatment.

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Egg freezing
  • IVF and assisted reproduction
  • PCOS and endometriosis
  • Reproductive medicine
  • Fertility assessment

Her advanced training in reproductive medicine supports her work with patients exploring fertility preservation and other fertility treatments.

6. Ms Jara Ben Nagi – London

Ms Jara Ben Nagi has more than 20 years of experience in fertility care and reproductive medicine. She has a specific interest in egg freezing and fertility preservation, along with advanced reproductive treatments.

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Egg freezing and fertility preservation
  • Assisted reproduction
  • Reproductive medicine
  • Advanced fertility treatment
  • Complex fertility care

She has also contributed to research on elective egg cryopreservation, including outcomes following the use of previously frozen eggs.

7. Dr Gillian Lockwood – Tamworth

Dr Gillian Lockwood is a consultant fertility specialist with extensive experience in fertility preservation, age-related infertility, and social egg freezing. She has also played a long-standing role in the development of egg-freezing practice in the UK.

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Social egg freezing
  • Fertility preservation
  • Age-related infertility
  • Assisted reproduction
  • Reproductive medicine

Her professional work includes experience with frozen eggs being thawed, fertilised, and used in treatment, giving her a strong background in fertility preservation.

8. Dr Rami Wakim – London

Dr Rami Wakim has more than 25 years of experience in IVF, assisted reproductive medicine, and fertility preservation. His practice includes egg and embryo freezing for patients considering fertility preservation.

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Egg and embryo freezing
  • Fertility preservation
  • IVF and assisted reproduction
  • Reproductive medicine
  • Fertility treatment

He has also trained and worked at several leading reproductive medicine centres and holds professional fellowships in the field.

9. Dr Lara Hodges – Oxford

Dr Lara Hodges is Deputy Medical Director at TFP Oxford Fertility. She specialises in egg collection, embryo transfer, fertility preservation, and fertility treatment, with experience in more complex egg-collection cases.

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Egg freezing and fertility preservation
  • Egg collection
  • Embryo transfer
  • Fertility assessment
  • Egg donation and fertility treatment

Her current clinical work focuses on helping patients access appropriate fertility treatment and preservation options.

10. Mr James Nicopoullos – London

Mr James Nicopoullos is a consultant gynaecologist and subspecialist in Reproductive Medicine and Surgery at The Lister Fertility Clinic in London. His experience includes IVF, subfertility, egg collection, fertility investigations, and egg freezing.

Key Areas of Expertise

  • Egg freezing and fertility preservation
  • IVF and assisted reproduction
  • Egg collection
  • Subfertility treatment
  • Reproductive medicine and surgery

He also holds a Doctor of Medicine research degree focused on reproductive medicine and surgery, adding to his specialist clinical and academic background.

Comparison of These Egg Freezing Specialists

Each specialist has a different clinical background and area of fertility expertise. This table highlights their location, professional role, and key egg-freezing or fertility-preservation focus for easier comparison.

SpecialistLocationRoleMain Focus
Bassel H. Al WattarLondonProfessor & ConsultantEgg freezing, IVF
Raj MathurManchesterFertility ConsultantEgg freezing, IVF
Irfana KoitaLondonConsultant GynaecologistEgg freezing, IVF
Kate MaclaranLondonFertility SpecialistEgg freezing, preservation
Anu ChawlaLondonReproductive SpecialistEgg freezing, IVF
Jara Ben NagiLondonReproductive SpecialistEgg freezing, preservation
Gillian LockwoodTamworthFertility ConsultantSocial egg freezing
Rami WakimLondonFertility SpecialistEgg freezing, IVF
Lara HodgesOxfordFertility SpecialistPreservation, egg collection
James NicopoullosLondonConsultant GynaecologistEgg freezing, IVF

What Does an Egg Freezing Specialist Do?

An egg freezing specialist usually oversees the treatment from the first fertility assessment through to egg collection and freezing.

The process normally involves ovarian stimulation medication, ultrasound and blood-test monitoring, followed by egg collection under sedation or anaesthesia.

The collected eggs are then frozen, usually using vitrification, a rapid freezing method. When a patient later wants to use the stored eggs, they are thawed and fertilised with sperm using ICSI before embryo transfer.

How to Choose the Right Egg Freezing Specialist in the UK?

Choosing an egg freezing specialist involves more than looking for a clinic that offers the treatment. Look for a specialist with reproductive medicine training and experience in egg freezing and fertility preservation.

What to Look For

  • Specialist experience: Check their background in reproductive medicine and egg freezing.
  • Clinic experience: Ask how regularly the clinic performs egg-freezing cycles.
  • Treatment costs: Find out exactly what is included in the quoted price.
  • Location: Consider the distance because treatment involves several appointments.
  • Clinic information: Review treatment options, patient feedback, inspection details, and published outcomes.

A consultation can then help you understand which treatment approach may be suitable for your individual circumstances.

How Much Does Egg Freezing Cost in the UK?

Egg freezing costs vary between UK clinics depending on the treatment package and services included. The HFEA states that the average cost of egg collection and freezing is around £3,350, while medication, storage, and later treatment may add to the total cost.

What the Cost May Include

  • Egg collection and freezing
  • Fertility medication
  • Monitoring appointments
  • Egg storage
  • Thawing and future treatment

Ask the clinic for a complete written quote so you know exactly what is included and whether any additional charges apply.

Egg Freezing Success Rates in the UK

There is no single UK success rate for using frozen eggs. The HFEA says current data is not sufficient to provide reliable success rates by age.

Key Factors

  • Age at freezing
  • Number of eggs frozen
  • Egg quality
  • Clinic experience and treatment outcomes

The HFEA recorded 6,932 egg-freezing cycles in 2023, but data on later use of frozen eggs remains limited.

Clinic success rates can provide useful information, but they cannot guarantee an individual outcome.

Final Thoughts

Finding an egg freezing specialist in the UK is an important part of planning fertility preservation. The specialists above have documented backgrounds in reproductive medicine, egg freezing, fertility preservation, IVF, or related areas.

The most useful first step is usually a detailed consultation. A specialist can assess factors such as age, ovarian reserve, medical history, and reproductive plans and explain what egg freezing may realistically offer in your individual situation.