Social Egg Freezing—A Trend or Modern Reality?

Social Egg Freezing—A Trend or Modern Reality?

10 January 2024 | Dimitra Katsani, Nefeli Paraschou, Eleni Panagouli, Ermioni Tsarna, Theodoros N. Sergentanis, Nikolaos Vlahos, Artemis Tsitsika
The article "Social Egg Freezing—A Trend or Modern Reality?" by Dimitra Katsani et al. explores the growing trend of women freezing their eggs for social reasons, particularly to delay procreation until later in life. The study aims to examine the reasons, risks, and effectiveness of this method globally. Key findings include: 1. **Reasons for Social Egg Freezing**: Women often choose to freeze their eggs due to non-medical reasons, such as the lack of an appropriate partner, career development, and financial stability. The mean age at which women decide to freeze their eggs is over 30 years, reflecting a biological limit due to demographic changes. 2. **Procedure and Risks**: The process involves medical consultation, hormonal stimulation, egg retrieval, and cryopreservation. Short-term risks include oocyte hyperstimulation syndrome, while long-term risks are associated with IVF and the older age of mothers. Success rates vary with age and the number of mature oocytes retrieved. 3. **Cost and Accessibility**: The procedure is expensive, with the highest costs reported in the United States. Public insurance coverage is limited, and many women face financial barriers, reinforcing social inequalities. 4. **Prognostic Factors**: Success rates are higher for women under 35, with a probability of live birth of 60.5% for those under 35 compared to 29.7% for those over 35. The ideal age for freezing is around 20 or 30-35 years. 5. **Social and Legal Aspects**: Policies differ across countries, influenced by social, religious, and cultural factors. Legal issues include ownership of stored oocytes, age limits, and the use of frozen eggs for reproduction. Emotional support and realistic counseling are crucial for women considering social egg freezing. 6. **Discussion and Conclusions**: Social egg freezing is becoming increasingly popular, but there is a lack of universal legal framework and long-term data. The high cost and social inequalities it creates are significant concerns. Further research is needed to understand the long-term outcomes and consequences of this method. The article concludes that while social egg freezing is a growing trend, it requires more comprehensive legal and ethical frameworks to address the diverse needs and challenges it presents.The article "Social Egg Freezing—A Trend or Modern Reality?" by Dimitra Katsani et al. explores the growing trend of women freezing their eggs for social reasons, particularly to delay procreation until later in life. The study aims to examine the reasons, risks, and effectiveness of this method globally. Key findings include: 1. **Reasons for Social Egg Freezing**: Women often choose to freeze their eggs due to non-medical reasons, such as the lack of an appropriate partner, career development, and financial stability. The mean age at which women decide to freeze their eggs is over 30 years, reflecting a biological limit due to demographic changes. 2. **Procedure and Risks**: The process involves medical consultation, hormonal stimulation, egg retrieval, and cryopreservation. Short-term risks include oocyte hyperstimulation syndrome, while long-term risks are associated with IVF and the older age of mothers. Success rates vary with age and the number of mature oocytes retrieved. 3. **Cost and Accessibility**: The procedure is expensive, with the highest costs reported in the United States. Public insurance coverage is limited, and many women face financial barriers, reinforcing social inequalities. 4. **Prognostic Factors**: Success rates are higher for women under 35, with a probability of live birth of 60.5% for those under 35 compared to 29.7% for those over 35. The ideal age for freezing is around 20 or 30-35 years. 5. **Social and Legal Aspects**: Policies differ across countries, influenced by social, religious, and cultural factors. Legal issues include ownership of stored oocytes, age limits, and the use of frozen eggs for reproduction. Emotional support and realistic counseling are crucial for women considering social egg freezing. 6. **Discussion and Conclusions**: Social egg freezing is becoming increasingly popular, but there is a lack of universal legal framework and long-term data. The high cost and social inequalities it creates are significant concerns. Further research is needed to understand the long-term outcomes and consequences of this method. The article concludes that while social egg freezing is a growing trend, it requires more comprehensive legal and ethical frameworks to address the diverse needs and challenges it presents.
Reach us at info@study.space