U.K. Women Are Fighting an ‘Absurd’ Law That Destroys Their Frozen Eggs
An outdated law puts a 10-year storage limit on eggs that women froze to preserve their fertility
At first glance, Sharon Jones doesn’t seem like your everyday political activist.
The 34-year-old’s social media accounts depict the average life of an urban, Western woman: cocktails, sunsets, inspirational quotes, and weddings. She chatters animatedly in a Liverpool accent, sometimes referring to herself as “Shazza,” recounting stories about her life, her many sisters, and her search for a boyfriend.
But Jones’ quest to preserve her fertility has turned her into one of the loudest voices in a growing reproductive rights movement affecting thousands of British women. The burgeoning campaign aims to abolish the 10-year storage limit on frozen eggs that have not been preserved for medical reasons.
Under current law in the U.K., women may freeze their eggs for up to 55 years if they have a medical reason for premature infertility, such as treatment for some cancers or gender reassignment. But those with nonmedical, “social” reasons for doing so are forced to decide after 10 years to either use their eggs to make embryos, move their eggs abroad, or allow them to be destroyed.
