Singapore To Let Women, Including Singles, Freeze Their Eggs

After years of deliberation, women in Singapore - regardless of their marital status - will soon be allowed to freeze their eggs for non-medical reasons to preserve their fertility, Theresa Tan reported for Straits Times.

Photo Insert: The changes, outlined in a White Paper on Singapore Women's Development released on Monday, mark a major shift in policy.

Women aged between 21 and 35 can undergo elective egg freezing, which is done for non-medical reasons, with the introduction of the Assisted Reproduction Services Regulations under the Healthcare Services Act early next year (2023.)

However, only legally married couples can use their frozen eggs to try for a baby through in-vitro fertilization (IVF). This is in line with existing IVF rules and the idea of "upholding parenthood within marriage."

The changes, outlined in a White Paper on Singapore Women's Development released on Monday, mark a major shift in policy. Now, women can freeze their eggs for only medical reasons, such as when they have to undergo chemotherapy, which may adversely affect their fertility.

Speaking to reporters earlier in March ahead of the White Paper's release, Sun Xueling, Minister of State for Social and Family Development, said, "We recognize that there may be women who are not able to find a suitable partner when they are younger, but they still wish to be able to preserve the likelihood of conceiving when they marry later."

However, there will be "adequate safeguards" in place to ensure that women make a well-informed choice, Sun added.

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