Cracked open: exploring attitudes on access to egg freezing

Abstract

Egg freezing (EF) technology has improved significantly over the last decade, giving women more choice over their reproductive futures. Despite this advance, EF brings forth contentious ethical and regulatory issues. Policies controlling access to EF vary around the world and there is a lack of consensus about who should have access and what criteria are relevant in making these decisions. This study aimed to identify views of women about access to EF for both “medical” and “non-medical” risks to infertility. An online survey was administered to women aged between 18 and 60 years in Victoria, Australia between April and May 2018. A total of 1,066 individuals initiated the survey. The median age of the participants was 28 years and 81% were <40 years old. Almost all participants (98%) supported access to medical EF in situations where treatments (e.g. chemotherapy) or illnesses threaten fertility. Support for access to EF for non-medical indications was lower; 75% supported EF for “lack of suitable partner” , followed by “financial insecurity to raise a child” (72%) and “career/educational advancement” (65%). Older respondents (aged ≥40 years) were less likely than their younger counterparts to support all indications for non-medical EF. Our findings indicate broad support for EF. However, the variation in support between indications for non-medical EF suggests that individuals do not think about access to EF simply in terms of medical necessity. To reflect public views, future policy may need to consider access to EF beyond the medical/non-medical distinction.

Financing future fertility: Women’s views on funding egg freezing

“…Most participants ( n = 497, 76%) did not have children, and a high proportion ( n = 584, 89%) knew of someone who had either experienced infertility or had accessed ART, including EF, in the past. As reported previously, almost all participants (98%) supported access to medical EF, and a considerable proportion (72%) supported access to non-medical EF ( Johnston et al, 2020 ).…”

“…The questionnaire collected general demographics, and included questions on parenting aspirations, opinions about fertility preservation, and decision-making considerations related to EF. The survey also collected data on women's views about access to medical and non-medical EF, which have been reported elsewhere recently (Johnston et al, 2020) and are referred to in the current study to inform part of the analysis. This article reports on a section of the survey that invited participants to respond to questions about funding for EF, and intentions about the disposition of surplus eggs.…”

Patients’ and providers’ perspectives on non-urgent egg freezing decision-making: a thematic analysis

“…Due to the educational and professional advancements of women as well as improvements in contraceptive methods, the age of childbearing has increased over time; women are generally starting families in their late twenties and thirties [ 1 – 3 ]. However, it is well-known that infertility increases with age.…”

‘I feel that injustice is being done to me’: a qualitative study of women’s viewpoints on the (lack of) reimbursement for social egg freezing

“…In the general population, several empirical studies have indicated that the most important barrier for those who would undergo SEF is the prohibitive cost [ 27 – 29 ]. However, inequality of access to this reproductive technology is not limited to costs.…”