The importance of social oocyte cryopreservation in supporting local municipalities: A prospective study.

Background: With the trend toward late marriages and late childbearing, cryopreservation of oocytes for fertility preservation is attracting attention as a method to counteract the declining birthrate.

Objectives: To examine the impact of social oocyte cryopreservation on local communities by assessing the significance of government assistance for cryofreezing and capturing the participants' subsequent feelings regarding this assistance.

Design: Descriptive study.

Early outcomes of a municipally funded oocyte cryopreservation programme in Japan.

One factor explaining the declining birth rate in Japan is the social advancement of women. Women are delaying marriage and childbirth, with many then facing so-called 'social infertility'. Advanced infertility treatment options, such as fertilization, are available, but the costs are high.