**3. Individual patient's beliefs, perception and opinions**

The concept of freezing eggs as a potential method of preserving fertility has been analyzed from various viewpoints and social science disciplines. The profile of patients who would use this technology and their reasoning behind using it are all being explored [64–67], As shown previously, most women who want to freeze their eggs are single and already have a decline in their fertility and the amount of eggs [67]. They choose to freeze their eggs because of a variety of reasons, important among them the physical, economical, structural, and personal factors. Indeed, it was found that women chose to freeze eggs because of the absence of conditions crucial for pursuing motherhood, and not because of the presence of any dominant reasons [68]. Interestingly, there have been investigations into fertility preservation and the attitudes surrounding it in several countries [69–74]. The majority of studies point towards an increasing acceptance of these technology which correlates with an increase in knowledge about them [70, 72].

These studies indeed provide necessary insights into the attitudes of women towards specific aspects of the freezing process especially from medical and

social viewpoints. Three major viewpoints of women regarding egg freezing is detailed below.

Owner of their life: This group of people identify women as being responsible for their own reproductive life, and is often associated with being a viewpoint that emphasizes an individual's choice without disturbances from outside factors. Although the right to reproduction is of utmost importance to these women, they are generally indifferent towards policies that intervene to facilitate being children at a younger age. This viewpoint assumes that egg freezing is a potential option for claiming their right to having a child.

Policy change requester: In this group of people, the predominant viewpoint is that assistant reproduction with technology is often unwarranted, especially for reasons that are not medical. It emphasizes on policies being enacted to ensure the wok-life balance of women. This viewpoint perceives policy chance as the only successful way of improving the conditions necessary to facilitate having a child and bringing them up.

Need for social information: This group of people need a debate on a societal scale. This point of view approves the use of egg freezing for both medical and non-medical purposes. The viewpoint encourages social debate to understand these questions in more detail and do not support the idea of a 'right' to have a child in this context. This viewpoint hence associates OC as a legitimate and responsible option to support socio-cultural changes and is not supportive of unnecessary regulatory intervention.

This final section details the challenges that assistive reproductive technologies face in the context of what is the traditional path to pursuing life and parenthood. For instance, women do not have access to infertility care or options for assistive reproductive technologies in several European countries [75].

Certainly, another important example is the utilization of parental leave. It is well established that men generally under-utilize parental leave while women take longer leaves of absence from work to care for young children. This also translates into more women with children switching to part-time work in order to facilitate the careers of men [76]. Although these balances and imbalances in family and career are acknowledged in all the viewpoints discussed above, it is perceived differently in all of them.

Viewpoint one focused on individual and autonomous choices with regards to fertility and did not care to venture into understanding policy interventions. Alternatively, viewpoint two was strongly in favor of restrictions placed on reproductive technologies with a preference for changing policies to facilitate good work-life balance. Finally, viewpoint three promoted social debate with respect to egg freezing, while disapproving regulatory interventions regarding the same. These varying viewpoints on who is responsible for their choices and how it should be regulated reflects on ideas of autonomy and maternalistic tendencies.

Indeed, the current standing of the authorities on the subject through a literature review suggests that it is important for a physician to prioritize autonomous choices compared to maternalistic tendencies [28]. However, it is important to note that viewpoints that favor these maternalistic attitudes often prevail.

Interestingly, there are several different perspectives on how egg freezing and gender equality are related. These different viewpoints suggest that freezing of eggs can be used a tool to eradicate gender inequality and the discrimination that women face. In fact, viewpoint three perceives egg freezing as a responsible choice keeping in line with changes in the socio-cultural landscape. This correlates well with the thoughts of Carroll [66], who framed this as "enacting responsible reproductive citizenship". However, despite these positive changes that egg freezing can be responsible for, it is imperative to not view it is as the solution for social injustices

to women [31]. Understandably, it is important to not restrict access to egg freezing based on these debates; however, it is imperative that legislation and employers attempt to address the real reasons behind the need for delayed childbearing for working mothers [28].

Certainly, the literature suggests that it is the diversity of viewpoints surrounding egg freezing that is responsible for controversies compared to the technology of egg freezing itself. Women who decide to freeze their eggs not only deal with all the ethical issues surrounding this technology, but also have to deal with changing opinions and viewpoints on this practice in their daily life. Some of these include being pressured to freeze their eggs to be a "responsible citizen", an unrealistic understanding of the success rates of such procedures, and the stigma they face when faced with stereotypes in their environment [15, 77].

Therefore, it is important to understand that while egg freezing certainly holds benefits for women by relieving them from the pressure of the biological clock, it could be harmful in other ways by psychologically impacting their experience based on societal expectations [78]. These points need to be considered together when discussing egg freezing. It is also crucial to understand not only the opinion of women but also that of men and other groups of people who might contribute to further controversies in the decision-making process of a woman.
