The development, which represents a huge jump towards using fertility treatment as a lifestyle choice rather than a medical necessity, "is very good news for women", said Dr Anthony Walsh, director of the Sims International Fertility Clinic in Dublin. "The procedure just has to be validated to make sure that it's safe. We would be hoping to be able to offer the facility within the next year or so."

Until recently, only embryos and sperm could be safely frozen, leaving single females with few options.

Now, medical technology means that a woman's eggs can also be stored, allowing women who are not in a relationship to plan ahead and combat fertility problems they might experience in later years.

"Women could find themselves in a variety of situations whereby they might consider this treatment, " said Walsh. "It could be used for social reasons, and it is also a real prospect for young women suffering from cancer who want to ensure they have some fertile eggs after their cancer treatment."

However, Walsh said that although the new technology will allow women to use fertility treatment as a lifestyle choice, this is a decision that cannot be taken lightly.

"In theory, women now have the same option as men, " he said. "But you've got to bear in mind that the process of collecting sperm from a man is much simpler than collecting eggs from a woman."

"A woman will have to basically undergo IVF treatment, and the whole process takes a couple of months. You don't just drop in, have your eggs collected, and go home. Collecting the eggs is not high risk, but it's not no risk either, so it's not necessarily the easy path for women who have no medical reason for having it done."

Because of this, Walsh said that the clinic has not yet decided how it will deal with women wishing to have "lifestyle fertility treatment".

"We're waiting for the procedure to be validated, and then we'll look at the practicalities, " he said.

"We would have to be certain that a woman would be counselled, and be certain that all the benefits outweigh the risks. Either way, this will soon be available to women in Ireland, whether we offer it or someone else does. It is good news for women, because surely the more options and services available to them, the better."