Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., took to Instagram over the weekend to document the start of her egg freezing journey, a treatment that more and more women across the U.S. are taking advantage of.
AOC said she’s starting the process now that the House of Representatives is in recess, saying, “This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life, and if people want to make assumptions about my decision, let them make those assumptions. I feel empowered to make this choice.”
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She shared clips of her taking injections on Instagram, detailing the costs and process of freezing her eggs with her followers.
Those posts made headlines and have even more people talking about the fertility option. But one study found that while more women are taking advantage of egg freezing, many aren’t returning to actually use their eggs.
AOC joins the thousands of women freezing their eggs
AOC is just one of some 16,000+ women who freeze their eggs every year — a number that has grown exponentially since 2014.
According to a study from the University of California, Los Angeles, from 2014 to 2021, the number of planned elective egg freezing cycles quadrupled from 4,153 to 16,436.
The study also found that women are freezing their eggs at younger ages, with the average age declining from 36 to 34.9. AOC is 36.
“Egg freezing offers a powerful form of reproductive autonomy, and thanks to major advances in technology, the chances of success are better than ever,” said Dr. Lindsay Kroener, who led the UCLA study.
AOC said she’s sharing her journey to help inform other women about their options and normalize discussions.
“In this political environment where this administration is denying reproductive care to women across the country, from abortion rights to the ability to carry out a healthy pregnancy,” she said. “I think it’s important for us as leaders to have these conversations and share these processes, especially for working women across the country and normalize them.”
Her comments, specifically about working women, align with what some studies have found. As Straight Arrow previously reported, demographers suggest that women are pursuing job opportunities, waiting for economic stability, and just enjoying their 20s before settling down to have kids.
Despite high freeze rates, few women actually use them
Despite the increasing number of women freezing their eggs, the study found that less than 6% actually return to use their eggs within 5-7 years.
Kroener noted, however, that women may not return to use their eggs until after a longer period of time.
“This finding may be limited by the relatively short follow-up period, particularly for younger patients,” Kroener said. “It will be important to see how return rates for thawing evolve with a longer follow-up period. Over time, we may find that more young patients ultimately return to use their eggs.”
Why women freeze their eggs, and why some may not return to use them
That may not be the only reason return rates are low, either. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, women choose to freeze their eggs for a variety of reasons — whether it’s because they haven’t found the right partner, need more time to establish a career, or accomplish other goals before pursuing motherhood.
Freezing, for some women, can even be a cautionary last resort, just in case timing becomes an issue.
But, if a woman suddenly finds the right partner, or circumstances change and she finds herself ready to be a mom, she may choose to get pregnant the traditional way, not needing the eggs she froze at all.
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