Spain faces declining birth rates; assisted reproduction and egg freezing are growing, prompting policy changes like in Galicia.
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Spain is experiencing a declining birth rate, with 320,656 births recorded in 2023, a 2.6% decrease from the previous year and a 24.7% drop since 2013; the average number of children per woman was 1.12. Similar demographic challenges exist in Europe, prompting governments to consider measures like egg freezing assistance. In Spain, assisted reproduction procedures have seen an increase in egg vitrification cycles, with many consultations now focused on fertility preservation. Currently, this is a private service as it is not part of public healthcare, except for medical indications. Galicia’s public health system has advanced by approving a plan to expand egg freezing in public healthcare, initially covering non-oncological conditions and later allowing personal postponement of motherhood for women aged 30 to 35 through phased implementation. The Spanish Fertility Society advocates for such measures due to the severe demographic problems facing Spain. Other European countries have implemented similar policies; France allows gamete freezing without medical justification for women aged 29 to 37, with social security covering extraction costs; Italy’s Apulia region offers financial aid for “social freezing” to low-income citizens; and Czech Republic covers oncological patients through public insurers. Egg freezing involves stimulating ovaries, surgically aspirating the eggs, and vitrifying them to prevent ice crystal damage, achieving a survival rate of 95-98%. The optimal age is between 25 and 35, with costs around 2,000 euros plus medication (500-1,000 euros).
