I spent $6,000 on my egg retrieval. I'm doing it because I'm not ready to have kids but want to have the option in the future.

• Shira Lazar, an Emmy-nominated TV host, froze her eggs to give herself the opportunity to have kids.
• She now has 16 mature eggs in storage and a 60% chance of using those eggs to conceive.

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Shira Lazar. It has been edited for length and clarity.

As a 39-year-old woman with a demanding career in broadcast media, I am the last of my friends to be married or have kids. This is nothing unexpected. I've always told people that I probably would have a kid in my 40s.

My 20s and 30s were dedicated to figuring out myself and my career. My 40s, I envision, will be when I begin writing the chapter of my life that includes my own family. I don't know when exactly I'll be ready to have children, but I am sure of one thing: I want to give myself the opportunity to have the healthiest children possible. That's why I've always considered freezing my eggs. And I finally did it.

The process started 4 years ago

I started researching the egg-freezing and retrieval process in 2018. At the time, I was 35 years old and had been in a relationship for a few years, but the conversation around kids hadn't been something we nailed down as a couple. As I was debating on going forward with the procedure, that relationship ended and I simultaneously found myself in a financially challenging period of my life. With that, the whole idea of egg freezing was put on hold.

Now, I've been in a relationship for nearly two years with someone I can picture coparenting with, and we began having conversations about kids.

Knowing that I am probably going to start trying to conceive after 40, I was faced with what I felt would be my last chance to have healthier eggs. So my partner and I both got tested. This was a really eye-opening and important process. We saw how fertile we both were and identified genetic issues we could pass on to our children.

With that, I decided to go with egg freezing instead of embryos, which was cheaper and easier for me.

It cost me $6,000 for the retrieval, plus $600 a year for storage

I used Dr. Holly Mehr at Kindbody for the entire process, which costs about $6,000, plus $600 a year for storage fees. From start to finish, it took seven months. I made sure to schedule appointments around work and life commitments because it's uncertain how your body will react or which mood swings may occur from the hormones.

It was a two-week process for the shots and retrieval, followed by two weeks of recovery until I got my period at the end of the month.

My physical and emotional health were at the forefront. Physically, I got a bit bloated and swollen.

Every morning and night, I practiced affirmations and visualizations of healthy eggs growing and would say out loud, "You are strong, you are big, and you are healthy."

I let go of any judgment of how to feel and shared my journey with friends and colleagues so they would be aware that I was in a vulnerable state.

I was nervous going into the procedure and worried about how my body would react. My boyfriend brought me to the hospital and drove me home.

Afterward, I felt a bit of pain in my lower abdomen, but it was manageable. I spent the day in bed watching Netflix and sleeping off the anesthesia. Because I was still swollen, I was going to the bathroom a lot and couldn't eat heavy meals.

Out of the 25 eggs they retrieved, there were 16 mature ones. This gives me a bit over a 60% chance of using those eggs to conceive a baby. Now, I pay an annual storage fee, but the peace of mind I have is priceless.

I hope sharing my story helps destigmatize these practices and paths in life.

Lazar is an Emmy-nominated host and interviewer covering social media, culture, and wellness. She is the founder of "What's Trending."