Article by Maila Mertens, Jörg Rössel and Nadja Colombini: «Between Ambition and Uncertainty: What Drives Young Women to Consider Social Freezing?»
Why do young women consider social egg freezing? This study by Maila Mertens et al. reveals how career goals, gender norms, and reproductive autonomy shape this decision—while high costs remain a major barrier.
«Between Ambition and Uncertainty: What Drives Young Women to Consider Social Freezing?»
Published on August 7th 2025 in Social Inclusion , Vol 13 (2025)
Maila Mertens, Jörg Rössel, Nadja Colombini.
This article is part of the issue “Contemporary Changes in Medically Assisted Reproduction: The Role of Social Inequality and Social Norms”
Open access link:https://doi.org/10.17645/si.10432
Abstract:
Abstract: Social egg freezing has increasingly become a topic of public discussion in recent years. It means the cryopreservation (freezing) of human unfertilized egg cells, which enables women to postpone pregnancy to a later age. The discussion has often focused on the normative implications of this technological innovation in reproductive medicine and on the reasons that motivate women to use it. Our study analyzes the covariates of the desire to use social freezing. We model this desire based on a broad rational choice model of decision making. In this theoretical framework, we consider the specific constraints and costs that determine this consideration, but also the benefits that drive the desire to use social freezing in the future. We particularly focus on career ambitions, gender roles, specific benefits and constraints, as well as social norms concerning social freezing. We test this broad rational choice model based on a survey among university students (𝑁 = 805) at the University of Zurich conducted in 2023, focusing on a population segment that is especially inclined to consider the utilization of social freezing. Our empirical results show that the desire to use social freezing is driven by both tangible benefits, such as enhanced career prospects and more time to find a suitable partner, and normative benefits, like increased reproductive autonomy. However, the high financial costs of the procedure significantly inhibit potential uptake. Broader attitudes toward gender roles and career orientation also influence these desires, though more immediate cost–benefit considerations largely mediate their effects.
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