Austria’s Highest โขCourt Strikesโ Down Banโ on ‘Social Egg Freezing’
Vienna, Austria โข- Austria’s Constitutional Court (VfGH) has overturned a ban preventing individuals from freezing eggs and sperm without a โmedical reason, a landmark โdecision paving the way for “socialโค egg freezing” and expanding reproductive rights. The ruling, announced today, deems the previous legal restrictions a violation of basic rights.
The practice, oftenโ referred to as “social egg freezing,” allows individualsโข toโค preserve their fertility for non-medical reasons, such as delaying parenthood forโ career or personalโ goals. Previously, Austrian law limited egg โขand sperm freezing toโข cases ofโค medical necessity, like cancer treatment. The vfgh’s decision now โฃopensโ the door for legislation โคpermitting theโฃ procedure for all,โ prompting swift reactions from political partiesโค and medical professionals.
Family Minister Claudia Plakolm (รVP) responded positively, stating, “We haveโข to makeโฃ the possibility for youngโข people to have their own family as great as possible,” and acknowledging support โข”if the natural path to a family is not easy.” She indicated egg and sperm freezing could be a viable option.
the NEOS and the Greens welcomed theโ decision. “Social Eggโ freezing means: We trust women โto make their own decisions,” said Henrike Brandstรถtter, NEOSโค women’s spokesperson, adding her party willโฃ work to swiftly incorporate โthe ruling into a โdraft law. Green women’s spokeswoman Meri โDisoskiโ called โคit an “overdue success for equality andโ self-determination” on Bluesky. Notably,the National Council’s Equal Treatment Committee hadโ postponed a motion fromโฃ the Greens seeking the legalization of “socialโฃ egg freezing” just prior to the VfGH announcement. The FPร, though, remains opposed, with women’s โคspokeswoman โRosa Ecker โคemphasizing her party’sโค rejection ofโข the practice.
Andreasโข Obruca, โmedical director โof the Fertility Center at Vienna and President of the Austrian Society for In Vitro Fertilization (IVF Society), hailed the ruling as a โ”milestone for both women and men to self-determine their fertility.”โข He expressed hope for rapid implementationโ while also stressing the obligation of reproductive medicine doctors to “educate people about the limits,โฃ side effects and hurdles of social freezing.” โObruca advocated for โsensible restrictions, such as an age limit forโข using one’sโข own eggs.