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Freezing eggs for female staff is great in theory. But it offers no guarantees Freezing eggs for female staff is great in theory. But it offers no guarantees
(35 minutes later)
Freezing eggs could allow women to stop the biological clock and have babies when they are ready – at a good time in their career and when they have found the right partner. That’s the theory. But at the moment, that’s all it is. And there are a few other obstacles along the road.Freezing eggs could allow women to stop the biological clock and have babies when they are ready – at a good time in their career and when they have found the right partner. That’s the theory. But at the moment, that’s all it is. And there are a few other obstacles along the road.
It certainly ought to work. Some 2,000 babies around the world have been born from frozen eggs. Egg-banking has been offered to some women about to undergo chemotherapy, which can destroy their fertility. The resulting babies have been very healthy; there appears to be no risk of birth defects. But 2,000 in a global context is not many. In the UK, there have been only 20 births so far. It certainly ought to work. About 2,000 babies around the world have been born from frozen eggs. Egg-banking has been offered to some women about to undergo chemotherapy, which can destroy their fertility. The resulting babies have been very healthy; there appears to be no risk of birth defects. But 2,000 in a global context is not many. In the UK, there have been only 20 births so far.
Fertility experts recently argued in the Lancet medical journal that all women should have the opportunity to freeze their eggs as insurance against potential fertility problems as they get older. The ovaries usually produce lots of very healthy eggs when women are young, but the quality and the quantity reduce over time – and steeply after the age of 35. Women who want a baby after the age of 40 almost always have to resort to donor eggs, which are in short supply.Fertility experts recently argued in the Lancet medical journal that all women should have the opportunity to freeze their eggs as insurance against potential fertility problems as they get older. The ovaries usually produce lots of very healthy eggs when women are young, but the quality and the quantity reduce over time – and steeply after the age of 35. Women who want a baby after the age of 40 almost always have to resort to donor eggs, which are in short supply.
So freezing eggs would be a useful insurance policy, the logic goes. But as insurance companies know, it is hard to persuade young people that insurance of any sort is a good idea. The women who head for clinics to freeze their eggs tend to be those who have heard the clock ticking. They are in their mid-30s and have not yet met somebody with whom they want to have a family. The eggs that they freeze, say at 37, may still not be good enough to guarantee a baby. Women in their 20s don’t think about having a family or assume everything will happen on time and in the normal way. Why would they want to pay over £3,000 for egg-freezing and three years’ storage, with annual charges after that, just in case? So freezing eggs would be a useful insurance policy, the logic goes. But as insurance companies know, it is hard to persuade young people that insurance of any sort is a good idea. The women who head for clinics to freeze their eggs tend to be those who have heard the clock ticking. They are in their mid-30s and have not yet met somebody with whom they want to have a family. The eggs that they freeze, say at 37, may still not be good enough to guarantee a baby. Women in their 20s don’t think about having a family or assume everything will happen on time and in the normal way. Why would they want to pay more than £3,000 for egg-freezing and three years’ storage, with annual charges after that, just in case?
The other issue is that using the eggs involves IVF, which is expensive and time-consuming and is not always successful. We know how many babies have been born, but not how many failed attempts there have been.The other issue is that using the eggs involves IVF, which is expensive and time-consuming and is not always successful. We know how many babies have been born, but not how many failed attempts there have been.
Apple and Facebook may be acting as caring employers in offering egg-freezing, and it might encourage younger women – more likely to have successful outcomes in the long term – to do it. But will women feel under some sort of psychological pressure to carry on working, rather than trying for a family when they might have, because they have eggs in store?Apple and Facebook may be acting as caring employers in offering egg-freezing, and it might encourage younger women – more likely to have successful outcomes in the long term – to do it. But will women feel under some sort of psychological pressure to carry on working, rather than trying for a family when they might have, because they have eggs in store?
And – just like health insurance provision in the US – this has to be a big disincentive to leave the company. The egg-freezing offer could be regarded as socially groundbreaking, but women who take it up cannot really know how it will work out for them.And – just like health insurance provision in the US – this has to be a big disincentive to leave the company. The egg-freezing offer could be regarded as socially groundbreaking, but women who take it up cannot really know how it will work out for them.