Women freezing eggs more frequently as infertility rises and childbearing is delayed

(FOX 2) - The delays of having kids are having ramifications around the U.S., impacting everything from statewide population growth to upending gender roles in the workplace. 

There's another effect of the delay: a spike in freezing one's eggs.

Data from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention revealed the stark shift in family planning is leading to more women removing and banking their eggs as they plan on having kids at an older age.

"We’re focusing on our careers, we’re training longer," said Dr. Roohi Jeelani, an infertility doctor at the Detroit Medical Center.

Jeelani says the average age that women have their first child is getting higher and higher. Last year, the nation saw its lowest birth rate since 1979 with just under 3.6 million babies being born. This decades-long decline is partly due to personal choices - and partly due to external reasons.

Another cause is the prevalence of infertility. Jeelani says it's gone up significantly.

"It used to be one in eight and the CDC this year reported that one in six couples is facing infertility," she said. "And surprisingly, when they did a regression analysis, they (asked) 'because we’re delaying childbearing or is there other variables?"

Other variables include the environment, toxins, and a disruption to the endocrine system. As a way to mitigate these barriers, women have started storing or banking their eggs.

However, DMC's infertility doctor says it typically comes back to the biggest factor: age.

The peak fertility age for women is age 23. After that, according to Jeelani, fertility begins to decline. Eggs are best in people's 20s - around the time when many aren't thinking about kids.  

"Age dictates fertility, so no matter our exposure, no matter what our environment shows, how we can control and preserve our fertility is by advocating for stuff like egg freezing and embryo banking," she said.

If a younger egg is implanted in an older woman, Jeelani says "pregnancy-related complications are the same from age 45 all the way to 55."

Costs for the procedure can be in the thousands - however, it's something insurance is also increasingly adding to coverage plans.