Elective egg freezing – some findings and good news from Israel!

Great news for women considering elective egg freezing in Israel with new regulations having increased the number of cycles allowed by law from 4 to 6 and the number of eggs you can freeze from 20 to 35. A US study published in Fertility and Sterility May 18th 2022 found data that 70% of the women freezing their eggs younger than age of 38 – and thawed at least 20 eggs at a later date achieved a live birth.

During the Covid pandemic many fertility clinics experienced a huge increase in egg freezing. Data from the US suggests a 39% increase of retrievals and in the UK enquiries rose by as much as 50% during the Summer 2020.

What are the main underlying reasons for women to pursue elective egg freezing or EEF? Well most research finds that women are postponing fertilty through EEF to pursue careers and achieve reproductive autonomy. Although, another main reason has also been found in the lack of having a partner to pursue childbearing so not an active choice to postpone fertility as such.

Internationally the trend of women seeking higher education is bringing some socio-demographic disparities along with it illustrated by the number of university-educated women significantly outnumber the number of men in the US as well as in 75 other societies according to World Bank data.