Egg freezing between regional push and economic barriers

Between the search for financial stability and that of the right partner, the average age at which Italian women arriveat their first child is 31.9 years. In this scenario, cryopreservation of oocytes for precautionary purposes (creating an option that allows women to live with greater serenity in their choices) is gaining popularity even though it remains an expensive medical procedure and therefore a privilege for few.

In Italia, medical freezing (the freezing of ova in the face of illness) is only guaranteed by the national health service in oncological cases, but, explains Elsa Viora, gynaecologist and president of the Italian Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, the extension to other pathologies represents a concrete prospect. 'We are starting to talk not only about tumours, but also early menopause, endometriosis and conditions that compromise fertility,' she explains to Sole 24ore. The picture, however, is part of a health system under pressure, marked by staff shortages and limited resources. Already today, in fact, cryopreservation for cancer patients is uneven across the territory: 'It is patchy,' the specialist notes, 'and often linked to the commitment of individual centres. Hence the need for a structured network between oncology and reproductive medicine.

The freezing of oocytes for non-medical reasons nowadays mostly falls within the scope of private healthcare and has high costs. Some regions try to lead the way with public interventions but the picture is fragmented. Puglia in 2024 was the first region to introduce a reimbursement programme for social freezing with an allocation of funds amounting to 900 thousand euro. More recently, the Tuscan junta allocated 350 thousand euro to enhance medically assisted procreation services, including specific actions for fertility preservation among the new measures.

Worldwide, the legal frameworks governing this technique are varied and reflect different cultural, ethical and health policy contexts. The main differences concern age limits, marital status, storage time and public funding. In France, as of 2021, elective egg freezing is free of charge and fully covered by the health system for all women between the ages of 29 and 37. The initiative is part of the plan to counter the falling birth rate, which President Emmanuel Macron has called 'demographic rearmament'. Spain has one of the most progressive legislations and recourse is allowed without strict age limits or duration restrictions.

Broadening the horizon, in response to demographic challenges, Hong Kong and Singapore have opened up tosocial freezing but the subsequent use of oocytes remains tied to marriage. In the United States, the procedure is becoming a frequent corporate benefit in large realities and the practice is also beginning to appear in Italia.