"Freezing Eggs Before Getting Older"... More Women in Their 20s and 30s Choose Egg Freezing

"Many people come here with the idea of investing in their future, or as a way to insure themselves against an uncertain future."

At 10 a.m. on the 14th, at an infertility center located in Jung-gu, Seoul. During a consultation after a two-hour wait, the doctor explained, "Unlike the endometrium, there is no real way to improve egg quality except by being younger, so it is important to preserve the quality of eggs." The doctor added, "We recommend egg freezing for women under 35, and these days, many women in their 30s who are working professionals and have no plans to marry within five years are coming in." The doctor continued, "The process of self-administering ovarian stimulation injections in the abdomen for 10 days starting from the third day of menstruation before egg retrieval is not easy, but preserving fertility gives women the autonomy to flexibly choose when to have children."

At 10 a.m. on the 14th, people are waiting to register at the Infertility Center located in Jung-gu, Seoul. Photo by Lee Eunseo

As more people enter society later in life, marriage and childbirth are also being delayed, and the number of young women undergoing egg freezing procedures continues to rise. This is to preserve fertility and prevent infertility.

According to the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the number of women participating in the city's egg freezing financial support program increased from 219 in 2023 to 825 in 2024, and as of July this year, 607 women had participated. Notably, women in their 20s and 30s accounted for 80% of all participants. The number of women in their 20s increased from 18 in 2023 to 94 in 2024, while the number of women in their 30s rose from 152 in 2023 to 581 last year.

In fact, the trend of delayed marriage and childbirth is continuing. According to Statistics Korea's population trend survey, the average age of women at first marriage rose steadily from 30.78 years in 2020 to 31.55 years in 2024. The average age at which women have their first child also increased from 32.25 years in 2020 to 32.96 years in 2023.

Lee, a 29-year-old office worker who recently underwent egg freezing, said, "I don't have immediate plans to get married, but I was worried that I might not be able to retrieve eggs later due to ovarian aging if I want to get pregnant in the future." She added, "I love children, so I plan to do everything I can to have one." Kim, a 33-year-old office worker who has scheduled the procedure this month, said, "After turning 30, I started to have vague concerns about advanced maternal age. A friend shared her hospital experience and reviews, and I felt it was a reasonable choice, so I decided to go ahead. I used to think this was someone else's story, but now that I've done everything I can to prepare, I feel much more at ease."

Ryu Kijin, professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Korea University Anam Hospital, said, "Both the quantity and quality of eggs are important for increasing the success rate of egg freezing procedures, from egg retrieval to pregnancy." He advised, "To maximize the final success rate, it is best to undergo the procedure in your 20s or early 30s." He added, "I hope that we can identify those who would benefit from the preventive effects against infertility and continue to implement effective support policies."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.