Surprising Surge of Egg Freezing During the Pandemic Raises Ethical Questions
By Danielle Pacia and Jacob Howard,
Bioethics Forum
| 01. 21. 2021
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...
Related Articles
GeneWatch UK has prepared a briefing on the genetic modification of nature for the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Congress in October 2025
The upcoming Congress claims to be “where the world comes together to set priorities and drive conservation and sustainable development action.” A major concern for those on the outside is that the Congress may advance plans to develop and encourage the use of synthetic biology in nature conservation. This could at first glance sound like...
By Aaron Ginn, The Washington Post | 09.12.2025
Earlier this year, I had dinner in D.C. with Jensen Huang, the president and chief executive of Nvidia. At one point, he said something that struck me: “Why is everyone here so negative?”
He wasn’t referring to the economy...
By Roni Caryn Rabin, The New York Times | 08.25.2025
Scientists have dreamed for centuries about using animal organs to treat ailing humans. In recent years, those efforts have begun to bear fruit: Researchers have begun transplanting the hearts and kidneys of genetically modified pigs into patients, with varying degrees...
The Center for Genetics and Society is delighted to recommend the current edition of GMWatch Review – Number 589. UK-based GMWatch, a long-standing ally, was founded in 1998 by Jonathan Matthews as an independent organization seeking to counter the enormous corporate political power and propaganda of the GMO industry and its supporters. Matthews and Claire Robinson are its directors and managing editors.
CGS works to ensure that social justice, equity, human rights, and democratic governance are front...