More people are putting their hopes of parenthood on ice

Egg freezing, or oocyte preservation, was once considered an experimental procedure. But since the American Society for Reproductive Medicine dropped that designation in 2012, more people than ever are putting their hopes of parenthood on ice.

There was a 400 percent increase in the number of people freezing their eggs between 2012 and 2020 according to the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Employers like Starbucks and Walmart are offering fertility benefits to attract and retain workers. And fertility industry startups are also capitalizing on demand for services that either help delay parenthood or make parenthood a possibility.

But what are the physical, emotional, and financial realities of egg freezing, and how accessible is it really?