“You’re Taking the Power From Your Biological Clock,” Why Women Freeze Their Eggs

Over the past decade, there has been a staggering 1,000% increase in the number of women in the US who have chosen to freeze their eggs. They provide themselves with the opportunity to use their own healthy eggs to have a baby at a later stage in their lives. This procedure has also become a popular trend among celebrities like Priyanka Chopra and Paris Hilton. In this article, we’ll dive into the potential reasons behind this growing trend.

1. It gives you flexibility in your career.

Egg freezing provides a valuable benefit for young women who want to prioritize their career goals. Actress Priyanka Chopra, who underwent the procedure, shared that it allowed her to pursue her ambitions without compromising her personal life. “It’s the best gift you’ll give yourself,” she said, highly recommending the option to others.

In fact, some tech companies have started offering egg freezing as an employee benefit to attract and retain younger talent who might otherwise leave to start a family. By providing this option, these companies are able to support their employees in achieving both personal and professional goals without the need for extended time off early in their careers.

2. It gives them more time to find the ’right’ person.

Some women undergo the procedure to avoid “panic partnering,” which refers to entering into a relationship with someone they wouldn’t have otherwise chosen merely to prevent unwanted childlessness later in life. It’s a much better option than feeling panicked about their biological clock and ending up in less-than-ideal relationships.

So, egg freezing serves not only as a means of keeping the possibility of pursuing motherhood with the right partner open in the future but also as a way to avoid pursuing motherhood with the wrong partner in the present.

3. You may change your mind about your child-free lifestyle.

When you are young and cannot decide whether you want to have kids in general or not, egg freezing allows you to change your mind later. Some women who undergo the procedure express concern that if they did not undergo egg freezing, they might regret their decision in the future, particularly if they were unable to conceive later on.

One participant in a study that sought to explore the reasons why women do the procedure described her opinion on this: “If I had not had any eggs frozen, but I had thought about doing it, I would have absolutely kicked myself. I would probably never have forgiven myself, and that was one of the motivating factors for doing it.”

4. It’s a safety net for possible reproductive problems.

Although egg freezing is commonly associated with things other than medical issues, more than 20% of the women in one study had an underlying fertility or health issue that influenced their decision to undergo the procedure. Additionally, it’s important to understand that advanced maternal age during pregnancy can bring certain complications for a mother and her fetus. Women who are over 40 have a higher risk of miscarriage. Preserving their eggs at a younger age can offer them a better chance of having a healthy baby in the future.

Chrissy Teigen commented on this, explaining, “I would have preferred to have had 21-year-old eggs over 28-year-old eggs, but that’s the way it worked out for us. But, of course, it feels weird to tell a 20-year-old, ’You have to freeze your eggs!’ when [getting pregnant] can happen for so many people.”

5. Egg freezing is about control over your future.

Egg freezing provides a sense of security and control over one’s future, eliminating the need to rush into decisions based on one’s biological clock. As Priyanka Chopra stated, “You’re taking the power from your biological clock, and you can work until however long you want. Your eggs will still be the same age as when you froze them.”

Jennifer Aniston also expressed regret about not knowing about the procedure earlier in life, as she struggled to conceive and tried various methods before learning of egg freezing. Aniston stated, “I was throwing everything at it. I would’ve given anything if someone had said to me, ’Freeze your eggs. Do yourself a favor.’”