Is social egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) for single women permissible in Islam? A perspective from Singapore

Abstract

Elective egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) for fertility preservation - commonly referred to as social egg freezing or non-medical egg freezing, will be permitted in Singapore from 2023. There is a need for clear religious directives on social egg freezing for the minority Muslim population in Singapore, due to conflicting Fatwas on this medical procedure that were issued in different Islamic countries, in particular Egypt and Malaysia. Although social egg freezing would be beneficial for the fertility preservation of many single Muslim women who are unable to start a family due to various personal circumstances, there are also various potential risks and harms of this medical procedure at the individual and societal level. Hence, based on Maqasid Al-Shariah, by which preventing harm takes precedence over securing benefit in medical treatment (Tadawi), it is posited that social egg freezing should be classified as Makruh, which is permissible but discouraged in Islam.

KEYWORDS:

• Elective
• Fatwa
• Muslims
• Non-medical
• Reproduction
• Vitrification

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Funding

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Notes on contributors

Alexis Heng Boon Chin

Dr. Alexis Heng Boon Chin is an Adjunct Professor at the School of Medical and Life Sciences, Sunway University, Malaysia. He had previously worked in the field of human clinical assisted reproduction research in Singapore, and has also held several research and academic positions in Switzerland, Britain, China and the USA. To date, he has authored 50 international journal publications on ethical and legal issues relating to new reproductive technologies, in addition to also having published more than 270 scientific journal articles.

Shaikh Mohd Saifuddeen

Dr. Shaikh Mohd Saifuddeen is the director of the Centre for Science and Environmental Studies, Institute of Islamic Understanding, Malaysia. His research interests include: Islamic interaction with science, axiology of science, history of science and technology, philosophy of science and technology, logic and critical thinking. One of his research projects involved examining the ethics of egg freezing from the Islamic perspective.