Female workers in the UK are to be offered an unusual perk by their employers. British companies are considering offering egg freezing as a perk. Tech companies like Apple and Facebook already offer egg freezing as a benefit to female employees, and now other companies may follow the tech giants' lead. Many British companies are in talks with IVF clinics about providing the option of egg freezing to women. The UK's largest chain of fertility clinics, CARE Fertility, said it has been in discussion with several high-profile employers. The perk comes at a considerable cost to employers. Apple and Facebook have been offering subsidized egg freezing to female staff at a cost of up to £16,000 ($20,000) per employee.
Companies will provide the egg-freezing perk to allow women in their 20s or 30s to focus on their careers. The idea is that women could make use of their frozen eggs in their 40s when they meet the right partner or are financially stable. Rob Smith, clinical director of CARE London, said: "Successful pregnancy at that age is very low indeed so by freezing eggs earlier on they will just have that guarantee at the back of their mind." Mr Smith said the perk was also an option for couples wanting to conceive later in life. Critics of the idea said it was wrong to prioritise careers over having children. One said: "When [IVF] is done purely to protect their job, I think it's extraordinary that women think this is liberating."
