AOC, 36, says she's freezing her eggs as she addresses 2028 presidential run
New York Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez opened up questions to the public about her egg-freezing process and was also asked about the 2028 elections.
On Sunday (August 9), the 36-year-old took to her Instagram stories to allow followers to ask her questions about her decision to freeze her eggs.
She previously told ABC News she believes it''s important to 'normalise' these conversations 'especially in this political environment' in the US.
One follower asked her what the 'reasons and benefits' to freezing eggs can be, Ocasio-Cortez reflecting there are a variety of reasons, from a cancer diagnosis to freezing eggs to have an 'easier time conceiving for your second or third or fourth child,' wanting to grow your family 'at a later date' or not being sure whether you want kids or not.
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She noted it's a decision she's made to 'feel more in control' of her life.
The congresswoman also addressed a sneaky question about her plans for the elections.
Why is egg freezing so political?
Ocasio-Cortez addressed the 'negativity' surrounding women having families - their choice to alongside their ability to - noting it's used to 'put us in a place of fear or insecurity so that we are making choices out of that place'.
She continued: "We're not doing that. All of these men often times, [...] don't trust these people who are writing abortion laws that don't even understand a women's body tell you about how many eggs you have at what age. They don't even understand about egg health."
"It's also not an all or nothing prospect," she added, noting a 'great small step' that can be 'really empowering' is to pay between $100-400 to get your fertility checked.
The congresswoman said in an earlier post she wanted to share as much as possible about the process despite the 'political risk'.
And when asked whether she may run for president in the 2028 elections?
Will Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez run for president in the 2028 elections?
She responded: "I'm focused on winning the mid-terms, I'm running for Congress right now."
"I haven't ruled out the possibility and I'm very humbled to the tremendous amount of support out there.
"We have a responsibility to remain focused on the midterms and not on our individual aspirations or plans."
Ocasio-Cortez went on to open up about 'one of the most stressful' parts of her egg freezing journey so far, even sharing a vlog-style video of her second day of the process.
How much does egg freezing cost in the US?
Ocasio-Cortez explained the 'cost' was one of the 'most stressful' parts of the process for her, adding her insurance doesn't cover 'one penny'.
She broke down how you pay 'one lump sum' to the doctors for the medicine and then you also pay your clinic for the actual procedure, revealing she's going to a place in New York City that 'specifically designs options for women who don't have insurance covering it' and her 'grand total' is 'probably between $8-9,000'.
She said 'a big variable of your cost' is the medication. "And it's not the same medication for everybody," she added.
On top of that, she added 'because our medical system is so broken,' she 'shopped around' and found there are some pharmacies that 'were quoting [her] seven grand' when she gave her insurance information, but when she paid out of pocket, 'that price went down to three grand'.
Ocasio-Cortez also noted the yearly cost to store the eggs of $1,200 to keep them frozen.
"When it comes to cost, one thing I want to say is, I know that those numbers for a lot of people can feel paralysing and just talking about money in general can be a very emotionally intense thing," she said. "Not long ago, in my life, I was working as a waitress in Downtown Manhattan and the thought of that was so paralysing. And when you actually pair that with the horrible rhetoric that we as women are fed as a society about our fertility etc. it's easy for it to feel frozen and like a failure."
What other options do you have to freeze your eggs?
Ocasio-Cortez shared she knows people who've chosen to freeze their eggs outside of the US due to just how 'broken' America's 'medical system' is and how much it 'neglects covering women's care and fertility care'.
Where? Spain or Mexico. She noted some people have shared prices of $4,000 in Spain.
If you are worried about infertility, you can contact the Resolve helpline to speak to a trained volunteer with experience of infertility who can guide you to resources which might help you. You can call 866.NOT.ALONE (866.668.2566) to leave a message and a volunteer will respond within three days. If you require the advice of a professional, please consult your local fertility specialist.
Topics: US News, Politics, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Poppy Bilderbeck