Cracked open: exploring attitudes on access to egg freezing

Figures & data

Table 1. Demographics and parenting intentions and experiences from an online survey of women aged 18–60 years

Characteristic	N = 656
Age: Median (IQR)	28 (23, 37)
Religious affiliation: n(%)
Catholic	112 (17.1)
Protestant	63 (9.6)
No religion	423 (64.5)
Other (including Judaism/Buddhism/Islam/Hinduism)	58 (8.8)
Highest attained education level: n(%)
Non-university education (include <Year12/up to Year12/Trade/Certificate)	229 (34.9)
University (undergraduate)	223 (34.0)
Postgraduate degree	204 (31.1)
Relationship status: n(%)
Single	181 (27.6)
Living with partner	155 (23.6)
Married	172 (26.2)
Other (including divorced/separated/dating)	148 (22.6)
Sexuality: n(%)
Heterosexual	571 (87)
Homosexual	19 (2.9)
Bisexual	52 (7.9)
Other (including asexual and prefer not to answer)	14 (2.2)
Primary occupation in preceding 12 months: n(%)
Paid employment – full time	290 (44.2)
Paid employment – part time	186 (28.4)
Student	213 (32.5)
Unemployed	14 (2.1)
Other (including volunteer)	42 (6.5)
Socio-economic status (based on postcodes): n(%)
SEIFA disadvantage deciles 1–3	64 (9.8)
SEIFA disadvantage deciles 4–6	128 (19.5)
SEIFA disadvantage deciles 7–10	460 (70.1)
Missing postcodes	4 (0.6)
Parenthood: n(%)
Childless	497 (75.8)
Parent (including biological/adopted/step)	159 (24.2)
Know someone who experienced difficulty conceiving/used assisted conception or know someone who has undergone oocyte cryopreservation: n(%)
No	72 (11.0)
Yes	584 (89.0)
Number of children hoped for: n(%)
None	56 (8.5)
1–2	367 (56.0)
>2	233 (35.5)
Importance of having a biologically related child: n(%)
Not important	181 (27.6)
Moderately important	130 (19.8)
Important	345 (52.6)
Perceived oldest age to conceive, carry and give birth: n(%)
<40 years	324 (49.4)
≥40 years	332 (50.6)
Perceived youngest age to conceive, carry and give birth: n(%)
<30 years	475 (72.4)
≥30 years	181 (27.6)

Table 2. Support for access to egg freezing for medical reasons by participant’s demographic characteristics and parenting intentions and experiences

Participants’ demographic characteristics and parenting intentions and experiences	Supportive of egg freezing
	… when undergoing treatment that may cause infertility e.g. chemotherapy		… when medical conditions threaten fertility e.g. endometriosis
	n(%)	p-Value	n(%)	p-Value
ALL participants	642 (97.9)		641 (97.7)
Age group (years)
<40	519 (97.6)	0.440	519 (97.6)	0.317
≥40	123 (99.2)		122 (98.4)
Highest attained education level
Non-university education	226 (98.7)	0.103	226 (98.7)	0.282
Undergraduate degree	215 (96.4)		216 (96.9)
Post-graduate degree	201 (98.5)		199 (97.6)
Relationship status
Single	177 (97.8)	0.533	177 (97.8)	0.840
Living with partner	153 (98.7)		152 (98.1)
Married	170 (98.8)		169 (98.3)
Other	142 (96.0)		143 (96.6)
Socio-economic status
SEIFA disadvantage deciles 1–3	63 (98.4)	0.902	62 (96.9)	0.310
SEIFA disadvantage deciles 4–6	126 (98.4)		125 (97.7)
SEIFA disadvantage deciles 7–10	449 (97.6)		450 (97.8)
Parenthood
Childless	484 (97.4)	0.277	483 (97.2)	0.224
Parent	158 (99.4)		158 (99.4)
Know someone who has had fertility issues
No	69 (95.8)	0.210	70 (97.2)	0.951
Yes	573 (98.1)		571 (97.8)
Number of children hoped for
None	53 (94.6)	0.228	53 (94.6)	0.119
1–2	361 (98.4)		362 (98.6)
>2	228 (97.9)		226 (97.0)
Importance of having a biologically related child
Not important	174 (96.1)	0.159	175 (96.7)	0.220
Moderately important	128 (98.5)		127 (97.7)
Important	340 (98.6)		339 (98.3)
Perceived oldest age to conceive, carry and give birth
<40 years	312 (96.3)	0.015	311 (96.0)	0.009
≥40 years	330 (99.4)		330 (99.4)
Ideal age to conceive first child
<30 years	464 (97.7)	0.102	463 (97.5)	0.630
≥30 years	178 (98.3)		178 (98.3)

Figure 1. The relationship between non-medical egg freezing (EF) and participant demographics. Symbols represent the adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) and the bars indicate the 95% confidence intervals. The OR were adjusted for age, highest level of education, relationship status and socioeconomic status

Figure 2. The relationship between non-medical egg freezing (EF) and participant parenting intentions and experiences. Symbols represent the adjusted Odds Ratio (OR) and the bars indicate the 95% confidence intervals. The ORs for the relationship between parenting intentions and experiences, and attitudes were adjusted for age, highest level of education and relationship status