"I remember waking up in the morning and I couldn't stand. I was bent over in two. I could barely walk."

According to BBC Sport, this was the physical reality Geva Mentor faced after undergoing the process of freezing her eggs in 2019. For England's most decorated netball player, the procedure was a deeply personal decision born out of a desire to balance an intense athletic career with the wish to start a family.

BBC Sport reported that Mentor decided to freeze her eggs at the age of 35 while living in Melbourne and not in a relationship. She chose to undergo the procedure during the off-season, just before pre-season training, to ensure she had adequate time for her body to recover before returning to elite-level sports. Over her career, Mentor earned 175 international caps, represented England at six World Cups, and won Commonwealth gold in 2018. She told BBC Sport that she wanted to check the impact of elite sport on her fertility and preferred using eggs from her early 30s rather than her late 30s or 40s.

Background

BBC Sport noted that egg-freezing involves collecting, freezing, and storing a woman's eggs for potential future use. While the practice is often presented as a way to help preserve fertility and delay motherhood, experts stress that it offers no guarantee of a future pregnancy. The issue is becoming increasingly visible in elite sports, with organizations such as Chelsea and the Spanish Football Federation recently announcing support for players who wish to freeze their eggs, as reported by BBC Sport.

Why it matters

For sports professionals and career-oriented individuals everywhere, balancing professional ambition with personal milestones remains a delicate and complex challenge. The experiences of elite athletes highlight the difficult choices individuals face regarding family planning when demanding careers peak during prime reproductive years, emphasizing the importance of personal health awareness and supportive institutional policies.