Fight for the right: Women in Austria are calling for social freezing!

Fight for the right: Women in Austria are calling for social freezing!

In Austria, freezing of egg cells, also known as social freezing, is currently prohibited without medical indication. On June 13, 2025, the Constitutional Court (VfGH) negotiates a lawsuit that contest this ban. A woman from Vienna relies on Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to respect for private and family life. The decision of the VfGH is still pending.

Lisa Maria Ladner, co-founder of the start-up Fyrce Care, is one of the voices behind the petition to abolish the social freezing ban. She had to travel abroad in 2024 to freeze her egg cells, which she felt as an additional burden. Together with her colleague Johanna Rief, she launched the Fyrce Care platform to support women on this matter. So far, the petition has received several hundred signatures.

legal framework conditions

According to the reproductive medication law (FMedG), freezing egg cells is only permitted in the event of medical necessity, such as in cancer or endometriosis. In contrast, freezing of sperm cells without medical indication is permitted. Bettina Toth, director of the university clinic for gynecological endocrinology and reproductive medicine, said that the most common medical indications for freezing egg cells in women in critical health states, which are often confronted with infertility.

The lawyer of the applicant, Matthias Brand, underlined that social egg freezing does not bring any disadvantages for women or their children. A study indicates that every fourth woman in Austria could remain permanently childless, since female fertility drops significantly from the age of 30. Despite the high costs of around 4,000 euros per cycle for egg removal and 400 euros annually for storage, there is a lively interest in young women in this option.

criticism and social perspectives

The discussion about social freezing is not undisputed. Critical voices, such as that of Martina Kronthaler, General Secretary of Life Austria, warn of the health risks of late pregnancies and social pressure that women experience with regard to their family planning. Kronthaler describes the method as expensive and insecure and demands a stronger social responsibility for the compatibility of work and family.

The government has emphasized that the legislation is within the framework of the scope for design. Johanna Hayden from the Federal Chancellery referred to the scope for discretion of the European Court of Human Rights in relation to artificial fertilization and asked for a preparatory period of 18 months in the event of a change in the law.

While the medical world is demanding a reform of the existing legislation, the public discussion also shows that women want to make self -determined decisions when it comes to children. The VfGH is now faced with the task of clarifying whether the existing ban can be reconciled with the right to self -determination.

The decisions of the Constitutional Court could have far -reaching consequences for reproductive medicine in Austria. Social freezing is already allowed in countries such as Spain, Sweden and Belgium. The outcome of this negotiation is observed with great interest.

Vol.at reports , news.at informed about, and kosmo.at added the context .