Social freezing in Austria disadvantages women
Survey confirms: 75% of women feel discriminated against by the state when they want to have children
Vienna (OTS) – Women in Austria feel discriminated against when they want to have children, this is confirmed by a survey by Market Agent on behalf of the Wunschbaby Institut Feichtinger. Because the Austrian law does not allow the freezing of egg cells in women, men, on the other hand, are allowed to freeze their semen.
75% of the women surveyed therefore feel discriminated against by the state and would expect a change in the law. In addition, financial support from the federal government would be desirable for 74%, as currently – if there is a medical indication, such as chemotherapy or the like, egg cell freezing is allowed – costs up to 4,000 euros and the costs can be borne entirely privately. When. For men, freezing your semen costs just a tenth.
Women between 18 and 35 years of age were surveyed by the Marketagent agency across Austria. 46% of women would like to concentrate on their professional careers first and then realize their desire to have children later.
“The fertility of women decreases steadily from the age of 30 onwards. More and more often we at the Wunschbaby Institut have the problem that women delay the desire to have children and thus need fertility treatment. According to the survey, 87% of women are aware of this problem. So that young women can plan their careers, when do we have to legally allow egg freezing in Austria as it is allowed in Germany, Switzerland and most other European countries. Especially since it is incomprehensible that it is possible for men to freeze their semen, but women are legally denied this way. ”Says Priv.-Doz. GDR. Michael Feichtinger, head of the Wunschbaby Institut Feichtinger.
For 51% of the women surveyed, it is conceivable to have egg cells frozen as soon as this is legal. “Allowing women to socialize in Austria would therefore be an important contribution to promoting the rise in the birth rate in Austria. According to Statistics Austria, live births in Austria fell from 112,301 in 1970 to 83,603 in 2020, a decrease of around 25%, ”said DDr. Feichtinger.
This so-called “social freezing” is a much used measure, especially in the USA. In America, Japan, Great Britain and Germany clinics have been practicing egg cell screening for years and are often supported by companies.
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Mag. Julia Ecker
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