Here’s why we should talk more about social freezing

Not all women are looking to become pregnant: some do not want children, some are unsure, and others would like to have them — just not right now. But what if, later on, it becomes too late? “A person may not feel ready because they are focusing on their career, because they do not have a partner, or because the couple is not yet at that stage in the relationship. The reasons are many, and all of them are valid.”

Speaking is Francesca Bosio, co-founder of Meggy Care, a startup that supports women throughout their social freezing journey by providing information, medical support, and personalized pathways. “For people interested in approaching social freezing, the first thing we do is organize an orientation call to explain what it involves from an organizational, logistical, and financial perspective.”

When we talk about social freezing, we mean the freezing and preservation of eggs as a personal choice, unrelated to medical infertility treatments. “For me, having discovered that I have a very low ovarian reserve, Meggy Care is more than a project: it’s a mission.”

What activities do you carry out in terms of awareness, community building, and corporate education?
In addition to publishing educational content on social media — reviewed and approved by our medical team — we organize several informal events inside the clinics we collaborate with, always with the goal of raising awareness. For example, during our Fertility & Pizza events, we order pizza together with a gynecologist specialized in fertility, who explains what social freezing is and offers short consultations (10–15 minutes) to interested women. In the corporate world, we organize events similar to those developed for B2C audiences: we invite medical professionals to explain fertility and social freezing and answer questions. The goal is not to judge or encourage people to postpone parenthood, but rather to provide awareness so that women — and men as well — can make freer choices. The feedback we receive is very positive because these conversations bring valuable topics into everyday life, and people feel supported and understood. We are also working to encourage companies to financially contribute to fertility assessments and egg-freezing pathways for their employees.

What are the main differences between Italy and other countries?
In Italy, the topic is still somewhat taboo, although we are slowly dismantling that stigma, mainly out of practical necessity. Italy is known for having one of the lowest birth rates in Europe, and social freezing represents one possible solution to address the issue from an age-related perspective — namely, biological infertility, which increases over time. Compared to other countries, there are several differences, the main one being legal regulations. In Italy, medically assisted reproduction laws allow egg freezing for medical reasons, such as cancer treatment. However, egg freezing can also be carried out for non-medical preventive reasons — for example, because someone does not currently feel ready to have children, even though they may want them in the future. There is also the economic issue: the process involves the same stages as medically assisted reproduction, but in that case people may rely on the national healthcare system. Social freezing, on the other hand, is entirely self-funded. In France, by contrast, it is completely free.

Are there any myths that should be debunked?
More than myths, there is a great deal of misinformation because, for a long time, this topic was taboo. For example: “If you take the pill, your ovaries rest and your fertile years are extended.” That is absolutely not true. Sometimes misinformation also comes — unintentionally — from gynecologists who are not specialized in fertility. Even in clinics, many pieces of information are often taken for granted, assuming women already know every step of the process, while in reality they may not even know that a whole series of medical tests is required before beginning.

How does fertility awareness differ between women under and over 30?
The women who turn to Meggy Care are mostly over 30 because, when people are younger, they often think fertility is something that can always be addressed later. What we want people to understand is that fertility assessment is important even at 20 years old and that, if someone is considering social freezing, the earlier it is done, the better, because ovarian reserve begins to decline after 30. However, many people simply do not know this because awareness on the topic is still lacking. Of course, I am not saying that everyone should undergo social freezing — it is both financially and emotionally demanding — but evaluating one’s fertility can always be useful. Discovering at 35 or older, while trying to conceive, that your ovarian reserve is already very low can have a devastating psychological impact.