Surprising Surge of Egg Freezing During the Pandemic Raises Ethical Questions

In the midst of the pandemic, life has been put on hold in a multitude of ways. Many women are taking a literal approach and electing to freeze their eggs with a process known as oocyte cryopreservation (OCP). Contrary to the expectations of many fertility clinics, OCP has increased sharply in 2020, reports Time. What was supposed to be a bust for the fertility industry has become a boom. As clinics grapple with this unexpected surge, pre-pandemic concerns about a lack of information on risks, benefits, and harms of OCP have persisted and are likely being exacerbated amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.

Prior to 2020, interest in egg freezing had already been increasing at a rapid rate. According to a study published in 2017 by the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, banking and freezing of eggs increased by 24% between 2016 and 2017. Each year, more women participate in the expensive process of OCP, with costs ranging from $6,000 to $20,000 per cycle, and additional yearly storage fees of $500 to $600. As popularity has risen, ethicists have voiced...