Egg Freezing for Millennials: The Latest Start-up Trend

When Jo Dhesi froze her eggs in early February she chose to avoid the typical fertility clinic. Instead, the newly single 29-year-old opted for a “boutique clinic” in midtown Manhattan called Extend Fertility, one of a growing number of medical companies that cater specifically to millennials and market the procedure as a way for women to take control over their lives. Dhesi considered freezing her eggs as a way to buy herself peace of mind. She felt empowered by her choice and didn’t want to be in a clinic designed for women who are, as she put it, “you know, having issues starting a family.”

Extend’s atmosphere offered something different. “Everyone is so nice,” says Dhesi. “[It’s] just this bubbly good thing because everyone is doing something proactive for themselves.”

The foyer of Extend Fertility’s egg-freezing clinic is the anti-waiting room. The space has soothing pale-blue walls, pots lights, and six large dark-blue upholstered chairs more suited to a hotel lobby than a medical center. There are no fluorescent bulbs and no copies of Reader’s Digest. Unlike most sterile...