US Congresswoman wants to freeze her eggs
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, a Democratic congresswoman from New York, announced on social media that she had decided to freeze her eggs and had been saving up for the procedure for some time. According to her, health insurance does not cover any of these costs, CNBC reports.
Egg freezing is becoming more common as women delay motherhood to pursue education and careers. Ocasio-Cortez, who is 36, also stated on ABC that she does not rule out running in future U.S. presidential or Senate elections.
A single egg-freezing cycle in the U.S. typically costs between $10,000 and $20,000, said Stephanie Kuku, a senior advisor at the World Health Organization. According to the FertilityIQ platform, the average cost of a cycle—which includes hormonal stimulation and egg retrieval—is about $16,000. The final cost may increase if the patient requires multiple cycles, as well as due to fees for storage and future use of the eggs.
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Marcelle Cedars, a professor at the University of California, San Francisco, noted that women under 35 should ideally freeze at least 20 eggs, while older patients typically need more. According to FertilityIQ’s estimates, for a 38-year-old woman in New York who needs three cycles, the total cost could reach $47,000. In addition to age, the number of cycles is influenced by the patient’s overall health and the protocols of the specific medical facility.
Insurance coverage for elective egg freezing in the U.S. remains the exception rather than the rule, said Danielle Melfi, CEO of RESOLVE: The National Infertility and Family Building Association. According to Mercer, in 2025, about 22% of employers with 500 or more employees covered this service—up from 5% in 2015. Among companies with more than 5,000 employees, 40% of employers offered this benefit in 2025. At the same time, the common lifetime coverage limit is about $20,000.
After the procedure, storage of the eggs must also be paid for. Specifically, five years of such storage in New York can cost about $5,500, according to FertilityIQ’s calculations. If an employer covers the cost of elective egg freezing, this benefit may be considered taxable income for the employee in the U.S., noted Dr. Carolyn McClellan, a physician and financial advisor.
