DistantNews
Support us
Democrat Ocasio-Cortez froze her eggs, criticized reproductive care costs
🇵🇾 Paraguay /Culture & Society

Democrat Ocasio-Cortez froze her eggs, criticized reproductive care costs

From ABC Color · () Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News From a news agency Context piece
  • U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez revealed she froze her eggs, citing the high cost and lack of insurance coverage.
  • She shared that the process will cost around $8,000-$9,000, plus annual storage fees, and criticized societal pressures on women regarding fertility.
  • Ocasio-Cortez aims to normalize these conversations for working women and highlighted the political context of reproductive healthcare access in the U.S.

U.S. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has publicly shared her decision to freeze her eggs, highlighting the significant financial burden and stress associated with the procedure. The progressive congresswoman revealed on Instagram that her insurance does not cover any of the costs, leaving her to pay an estimated $8,000 to $9,000 out-of-pocket, with an additional $1,200 annually for storage.

One of the things that stressed me out the most when I considered doing this was the cost. My insurance doesn't cover a single cent of this. It's all 100% out of pocket. It's not just that you pay a lump sum to the doctor: you pay for the meds, the clinic, the procedure.

— Alexandria Ocasio-CortezThe congresswoman detailed the financial strain of egg freezing on Instagram.

Ocasio-Cortez criticized the societal pressures and "horrible rhetoric" women face regarding their fertility, which can lead to feelings of paralysis or failure. She encouraged her audience not to rely on lawmakers who she believes lack a basic understanding of women's bodies when making decisions about reproductive health.

It's easy to feel paralyzed or like a failure. Like, by not allowing yourself to do this, you're going to suffer negative consequences.

— Alexandria Ocasio-CortezShe spoke about the societal pressures and anxieties surrounding fertility decisions.

Speaking to ABC News, the New York Democrat emphasized the importance of leaders sharing such personal processes to normalize them, particularly for working women. This comes amid a political climate where she stated the U.S. administration "denies reproductive healthcare to women across the country."

I think it's important that we, as leaders, have these conversations, share these processes and normalize them, especially for working women in the country.

— Alexandria Ocasio-CortezOcasio-Cortez explained her motivation for sharing her experience publicly.

The 36-year-old congresswoman, who is of Puerto Rican descent, also addressed speculation about her political future, stating she is focused on her re-election campaign in November but has not ruled out a presidential run in 2028.

denies reproductive healthcare to women across the country, from abortion rights to the possibility of having a healthy pregnancy.

— Alexandria Ocasio-CortezShe described the political context of reproductive healthcare access in the United States in an interview with ABC News.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Color in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

More Stories

From Our Blog