It’s not surprising that male-dominated, tech-happy businesses such as Apple and Facebook have recently announced that as a benefit, they will pay for their female employees to freeze their eggs, so they can (in theory) give birth later. Almost all news articles describe this new “perk” in an unfailingly positive way, unless they are in a science or medical journal or blog.
A recent Wired article, for example, allows that some view egg-freezing as “sending the wrong message to women,” but dismisses it with this logic: “But ultimately, it’s a good thing — another option for women struggling to deal with the reality that their ideal childbearing years can conflict with crucial career-building years. It’s also a way for technology firms to support female employees, something that’s especially welcome given Silicon Valley’s infamously male-dominated workforce.”
Offering to freeze a woman’s eggs is not “supporting women” or ultimately a good thing, unless the women are in a group that needs such technology for medical reasons, such as undergoing cancer treatment or in vitro fertilization.
With technology, one would think, it would be easier than ever to dispel the notion that if one’s childbearing years “conflict” with “crucial career-building years” that it makes more sense to put the childbearing on the back burner than the career. (Especially with the specter of working into your 70s in order to retire. Take the long view.)
Technology does not trump nature. Articles that tout, “For women in tech, egg freezing parties are new post-work event,” make it sound like fun. It is not.
Here are some of the things they don’t go into at egg-freezing parties:
Freezing eggs is not a guarantee of pregnancy, especially as women age, and carries physical and emotional risks and complications.
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine does not recommend egg freezing for the sole purpose of delaying childbearing, LiveScience.com reports.
”Marketing this technology for the purpose of deferring childbearing may give women false hope and encourage women to delay childbearing,” an ASRM report states.
And it’s not easy or fast. Removing and freezing eggs takes about two weeks and includes, if all goes well, the woman giving herself follicle-stimulating hormone injections every day for seven to 10 days, and seeing her doctor every few days, The National Center for Health Research reports. Eggs are removed using a needle, with the help of anesthesia to avoid pain. Each step presents physical risks. But the National Center for Health Research agrees that “The most important risk to be aware of is false hope.” Because freezing eggs is not a guarantee of pregnancy. Can you imaging putting off pregnancy only to discover years that your frozen eggs won’t work for whatever reason? Will female employees need to sign a waiver not to sue if they accept their employer’s gift of freezing their eggs?
Freezing eggs is not the answer to “conflicts” between career and having babies.
Offering on-site day care, paid maternity leave and guaranteeing a job upon return would be real support for parents of both sexes, at tech companies and otherwise.
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