Egg Freezing Technology at the Intersection of Social Inequalities and Institutional Constraints

This chapter discusses the inequalities in access to reproductive technologies, focusing on egg freezing in Turkey through an intersectional and institutional lens. The use of egg freezing has grown in popularity since the American Society for Reproductive Medicine lifted its experimental label in 2012. However, while the technology has been increasingly used for non-medical reasons, it remains important to consider its implications for social inequalities in contemporary societies. To understand such implications of egg freezing, we must consider the wider landscape of reproductive technologies and the social groups affected by them. Access to reproductive technologies is stratified in Turkey, with some social groups able to afford cross-border reproductive travel, as gamete donation and surrogacy are legally prohibited, and IVF is only allowed to married couples. The chapter highlights intersectional perspectives on reproduction, including concepts such as reproductive justice and stratified reproduction, and discusses the topic drawing on the author’s ongoing research on women’s experiences of egg freezing in Turkey. The chapter concludes by emphasizing the importance of understanding the social inequalities and institutional constraints that affect the use of reproductive technologies.