Opening up.

Bachelor Nation fans got to know Serene Russell on Season 26 of “The Bachelor” and Season 8 of “Bachelor in Paradise.”

Last year, Serene took to social media and revealed that she would be freezing her eggs, saying, “I really just wanted to empower myself as a woman and take my fertility into my own hands. And give myself more choices for the future.”

Now, she’s at the end of the egg-freezing process and took to social media to share more about her journey.

In a new Instagram Q&A, Serene answered a fan who asked why she decided to freeze her eggs.

The Bachelor Nation star said, “I get asked so much ‘but you’re healthy?? Why do this so young?’ I feel like as women we can sometimes feel helpless when it comes to the timing of things. I definitely was one of the people that thought they’d be married with kids by 25. My mom and dad had three kids by 26. This is the norm in Oklahoma and all I knew growing up.”

Serene went on, saying, “I began to realize maybe I stayed in some relationships that I really shouldn’t have because of my ‘timeline.’ I also realized that the quality of a partner that I’d want to father my children was someone I hadn’t found yet, but that I didn’t want to rush or put pressure on that. I was blessed with two incredible parents and I want to provide that for my children one day, but there was still so much pressure on the ‘timeline,’ so I wanted to take my fertility into my own hands and be proactive about my fertility.”

She said that being on her own timeline put her at ease and she’s glad it’s something she started in her late 20s. 

Serene shared that she was inspired by her fellow Bachelor Nation star and friend Danielle Maltby to freeze eggs after Danielle had done the same.

Another fan asked how Serene felt throughout the process both mentally and physically, as the hormones required for an egg retrieval can be tough on the body.

Serene said, “Physically: I wasn’t weighing myself, but no weight gain that I noticed. If you do gain weight it’s probably mostly water. I had to stay hydrated and keep electrolytes on me. I was really bloated at times, it felt like/looked like I had to pee when I didn’t. There was also a bit of cramping, but wasn’t even comparable to a normal period of mine. The only physical body changes I saw were similar to those you get around menstruation/ovulation.”

And when it came to her emotional state, Serene has never been so excited and happy.

She wrote, “Emotionally: I honestly was so giddy and happy. I’m not sure if it was the hormones or what but even when I was dog tired and exhausted, I always found myself in an incredible mood. I felt very light emotionally. Of course, there were moments where I wished I wasn't doing it alone, no one wants to inject themselves, but my sense of joy and being proud of myself for overcoming those moments far outweighed it. The empowerment and me doing this for myself and my future family felt incredible.”