SINGAPORE has proposed lifting a long-standing ban on women freezing their eggs to have children in later life, but campaigners criticised the policy as not going far enough.

The work-obsessed republic has long battled low fertility rates, but with little success. The rate stood at 1.12 babies per woman last year, compared with a global average of 2.3.

Women in many countries choose to freeze their eggs to give them a greater chance of having children in later life.

Under current rules in the socially conservative city-state, women can do so only for medical reasons, but calls are growing for the policy to be loosened.

Policy guidance set out by the government this week proposes allowing women aged 21 to 35 to freeze their eggs for non-medical reasons from next year.

It said authorities “recognise that some women desire to preserve fertility due to personal circumstances”.

“For example, those who are not able to find a partner while they are younger, but wish to have the chance of conceiving if they marry later”.

However, it added, only legally married couples will be able to use their frozen eggs, pointing to a policy of “upholding parenthood within marriage”.

Safeguards, including counselling for those planning to freeze their eggs, are also proposed to inform women about the risks and limitations of the procedure.

While welcoming the move overall, Shailey Hingorani, head of research and advocacy at women’s rights group Aware, said it is “fairly limiting” due to the restrictions on age.

“Although pregnancies in older women tend to be at risk of complications, if a woman is fully informed about the risk, it should be her choice whether or not to try for a child.”

She said only permitting legally married couples to use frozen eggs excludes single women and lesbian or bisexual women in relationships who wish to be parents.

“It is disappointing that the state continues to insist that there is only one model for a family nucleus.” – AFP, March 30, 2022.