Firms go for egg freezing

SEVERAL prominent Australian companies are in talks with a top fertility clinic about paying for their employees to freeze their eggs to have children later in life and dedicate their younger years to a career.

Following the lead from US tech giants such as Facebook, Apple and Google, the Bulletin has learned negotiations are occurring with Australia’s first dedicated eggfreezing clinic that will today open its doors.

Apple, who pay up to $20,000, and Facebook among other tech companies offer to freeze eggs for female employees in the US to attract and retain more women on their staff.

The clinic — Genea Horizon — in discussions with Australian companies is designed to deal with clients who just want to freeze their eggs to give them the option of having children in the future, while they focus on their careers.

“I can confirm, we have had some companies approach us off the back of requests from their staff for the business to consider supporting them with fertility options as part of their health and well being programs,” a company spokeswoman said.

The spokeswoman would not say which companies have approached the fertility giant only that they were “prominent businesses” considering subsidising or paying for their employees egg freezing services.

It is believed a large bank is one of the businesses.

The new Sydney-based egg freezing clinic has already received interest from women throughout the nation, and from as far as Singapore, Hong Kong and China — where single women are not permitted to freeze their eggs.