Choosing to freeze your eggs in Tuscany could become more affordable.
The Region has approved a new law offering women up to 3,000 euro towards the cost of egg freezing, removing one of the main barriers to a procedure that has until now largely been paid for privately.
Approved by the Tuscan regional council on September 23, the legislation establishes public support for so-called social freezing, allowing women to preserve their eggs while they are still fertile for possible use at a later date. The measure applies to women aged 25 to 39, who have been resident in Tuscany for at least one year and with an ISEE of no more than €30,000. The €3,000 contribution is designed to cover the full cost of the procedure.
Social freezing is different from fertility preservation for medical reasons. Rather than being carried out because of a condition or treatment that could affect fertility, it is a personal choice to retrieve and cryopreserve eggs before they may become more difficult to obtain or of lower quality with age. The frozen eggs can potentially be used later through assisted reproductive technology. However, freezing eggs is not a guarantee of a future pregnancy: age at the time of freezing, along with the number and quality of eggs retrieved, affect the chances of success.
Who can apply?
The contribution will be distributed by local health authorities through public calls and can cover the egg-freezing procedure and associated medication. Within the €3,000 ceiling, it may also contribute to a repeat procedure and the storage of the frozen eggs. Treatment must take place at an authorized public facility or a private centre accredited by Tuscany’s regional health service. If applications outnumber available funds, priority will go to women with the lowest ISEE. Where applicants have the same ISEE, the older applicant will be prioritized.
The legislation comes as Italy continues to see people becoming parents later in life. Tuscany follows Puglia and Lazio, which have introduced experimental financial support for social freezing in recent months.
