Views on employer coverage of egg freezing among medical students

Objective: To understand medical students’ knowledge, intentions and attitudes towards oocyte cryopreservation and employer coverage of such treatment. Methods: An online survey was distributed to a cohort of medical students, law students, and lawyers. Participants were asked questions about their knowledge, attitudes, and intentions towards elective egg freezing. Demographics, data on fertility knowledge, whether they would consider elective egg freezing and their attitudes towards employer coverage were assessed via a self-reported multiple choice questionnaire. Results: Most respondents (71%) considered themselves as potential freezers, although 8% would not consider the procedure and 21% were unsure. Seventy-six percent of respondents felt pressure to delay childbearing. Potential freezers were more likely to be single (p=0.001), to report feeling pressure to delay childbearing (p=0.016), and to consider egg freezing if offered by an employer (P<0.001). Importantly, 71% percent did not view employer coverage as coercive and 77% of respondents would not delay childbearing due to employer coverage. Factors influencing decision making in potential freezers were absence of a suitable partner (83%), likelihood of success (95%), and health of offspring (94%) among others. Knowledge about the low chance of pregnancy per oocyte (6-10%) would influence decision making in 42% of potential freezers. Conclusion: In this population of well-educated and medically informed women, most would consider elective egg freezing and did not view employer coverage as coercive.