The Right to Freeze Oocyte for Women in Iranian Fertility Centers: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

Background: With the advancements in fertility preservation technology, such as egg freezing, women could now preserve their gametes for potential future parenthood. It is important to explore how the needs of women are addressed and supported throughout the egg-freezing process. By investigating the experiences of research participants, we aimed to identify how reproductive rights are interpreted for egg-freezing applicants in Iranian infertility centers.

Methods: In this qualitative study, 16 service providers and 5 egg-freezing applicants in infertility treatment centers in Iran were interviewed. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews. All interviews were recorded and after transcription, conventional qualitative content analysis was used for data analysis.

Results: Issues related to specific requirements for evaluating the reproductive rights of egg-freezing applicants included the following: the right to preserve fertility, the right to access psychological support services,the right to decide the fate of the oocyte, the right to trust and privacy, and the right to one's own body.

Conclusion: Women had the right to decide the fate of their eggs and choose to preserve them for future uses. Service providers played a role by offering comprehensive information about the egg-freezing process, considering applicants' requests, and offering psychological support to those interested. It seemed, trusting and using this emerging technology, users can protect their reproductive rights by preventing infertility in the future.

Keywords: Fertility Preservation; Oocyte Cryopreservation; Qualitative Study; Reproductive Rights; Social Egg Freezing.