WHEP Scholar Jordan Naylor
Drexel University College of Medicine, Class of 2023

Elective oocyte cryopreservation is an underutilized medical resource among women of reproductive age. Countless barriers preclude many women from accessing egg freezing within the optimal timeframe for success, under 35 years of age. Only twenty U.S. states have laws mandating insurance companies to offer some type of infertility coverage, but only eleven states include language regarding fertility preservation, which specifies medically indicated preservation and not elective preservation. Companies offering their own healthcare plans are exempt from these state laws, but some larger companies now offer infertility benefits including elective fertility preservation and the number of businesses doing this is growing. Given the disparities in insurance coverage, financial concern regarding elective egg freezing remains one of the most significant barriers for women. Education and awareness surrounding age-related fertility decline and options for fertility preservation need improvement among the general population and physicians to enhance dissemination of this time-sensitive information. Notably, female physicians themselves are one group in particular with infertility rates higher than the national average that may benefit from elective oocyte cryopreservation early in their careers.

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