British companies are considering offering their female workers egg freezing as a perk. Apple and Facebook already offer egg freezing as a benefit to female employees. Other companies may soon follow their lead. British companies are in talks with IVF clinics about this. The UK's largest chain of fertility clinics, CARE Fertility, has been in discussion with several high-profile employers. There is 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 worker.
The perk will allow women in their 20s or 30s to focus on their careers. Women could make use of their frozen eggs in their 40s when they settle down or are financially stable. CARE said: "Successful pregnancy at that age is very low…so by freezing eggs earlier on they will…have that guarantee at the back of their mind." The perk is also an option for couples wanting to have children later in life. Critics say it is wrong to put 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."