There’s a Hot New Egg-Freezing Startup. It’s Weirder Than You Could Imagine

Sue, referred to as Sue, is a young woman who has opted for egg freezing through a novel startup called Cofertility. To become a candidate for free egg freezing, Sue had to complete a brief online quiz. The company's primary aim is to provide fertility preservation opportunities to young women like Sue, even if they cannot afford the procedure at the outset.

However, Cofertility requires its clients to donate half of the retrieved eggs to intended parents who require egg donors to conceive a child. This model, known as egg sharing, has only recently gained traction in the United States, with Cofertility being a pioneer in this venture. The Los Angeles-based company launched in 2022, positioning itself as a human-centric fertility ecosystem.

During her initial interaction with Cofertility, Sue was impressed by the company's promise, despite finding the salesperson's enthusiasm somewhat unusual. Sue signed a contract with Cofertility in July 2025, choosing to donate her eggs to a couple named Alexis and Greg. The intended parents had initially connected with Sue through Cofertility's platform, finding her profile appealing.

Through Cofertility's Split program, which is available to women aged 21-33, Sue underwent a series of medical and psychological screenings, including hormone treatments and surgery to retrieve her eggs. The cost of these procedures was covered by Alexis and Greg, with Cofertility making their profit by selling eggs from the initial donation batch.