Frozen Eggs & Sperm Can Be Preserved For Up To 55 Years
The United Kingdom has plans to lift the ban on in order to allow for up to 55 years.
According to the , under the current laws, individuals must choose to undergo fertility treatment or destroy their samples once the ten-year limit is up. Some exceptions are made if the samples are to be stored due to medical procedures, like chemotherapy.
However, parliament is now considering whether to overturn the limit and allow individuals to keep their specimens on ice for up to five decades. The new law would ask individuals to consider whether to keep or dispose of their samples every decade for up to 55 years. If passed, the law will apply equally to both public and private fertility clinics across the United Kingdom.
Sajid Javid, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, for instance, called the current ten-year limit “severely restrictive.” The new law would offer individuals and couples more freedom over their family planning, and help alleviate stress brought on by the time limit.
"This new legislation will help turn off the ticking clock in the back of people's minds,” Javid told the media.
Many experts are praising the move, even suggesting that it could improve people’s chances of conceiving. Speaking to , Julia Chain, the chair of the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority, said that this will allow women to freeze their eggs earlier. And the younger a woman is when she freezes her eggs, the more likely pregnancy is.
There’s been an increase in people accessing reproductive services since the start of the . In June, we reported that fertility clinics across the United States had seen a rise in women freezing their eggs – in appointments.
Similar patterns have been reported in Australia, where many clinics have seen a rise in people making appointments for fertility treatments, like egg retrievals and freezing. Conversely, however, they haven’t seen a rise in sperm donations, .
It’s well-known that female fertility decreases after the age of 35. But new research shows that male fertility also takes a nosedive when men enter their 50s. One study found that sperm dramatically , with researchers encouraging men not to delay fatherhood or to consider options like sperm freezing to keep their options open going forward.
Sources: , ,
