Egg freezing gains traction among elite athletes: ‘There aren’t enough studies on how it affects them’
Federations, clubs, and unions are beginning to cover treatments to preserve the fertility of their players, who are torn between becoming mothers at the peak of their careers or postponing the decision
Elite athletes, particularly those in sports like football, are increasingly opting to freeze their eggs on their own personal time. This practice often occurs during breaks in their schedules or while recuperating from injuries. At the peak of their careers, when they are focused on achieving peak performance and setting records, these athletes are faced with the difficult decision of whether they will eventually desire to become mothers.
The timing of their peak performance in their sports careers coincides with the time when their eggs are of the highest quality, making this a critical period to consider family planning.
Recently, there has been a shift in the approach to egg freezing among elite athletes. National teams, sports leagues, and clubs are starting to take an active role in facilitating this process. The Royal Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) is in the process of finalizing an agreement with a fertility clinic to provide vitrification treatments for its players.
The details of this agreement are expected to be made public in September. Furthermore, the Spanish Footballers’ Association has recently announced a collaboration with a private hospital. This partnership aims to make the services of the hospital's assisted reproduction unit accessible to its members.
Written by urgent.news from El Pais English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
