Ocasio-Cortez’s decision riles some on right, while also winning admiration

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez’s (D-N.Y.) decision to freeze her eggs and publicly document the process is stirring up mixed reviews from her conservative critics while receiving praise from many women for demystifying the procedure. 

Many conservatives have criticized Ocasio-Cortez for creating what they call the illusion that women can have it all, while promoting an expensive medical procedure that does not have a guaranteed success rate. 

But Ocasio-Cortez’s public announcement also has earned her praise from some unexpected characters including conservative podcaster Katie Miller, who argued a woman preserving “her right to have children” should be celebrated. 

The congresswoman’s decision has shed light on whether women can advance their careers while pursuing motherhood. 

“Every woman in America that is dealing with infertility issues should be able to look at options,” said Mehek Cooke, a Republican strategist. “AOC was somebody who was able to post and talk about it in a very relatable way,” Cooke continued, referring to Ocasio-Cortez by her nickname.  

“99.9 percent of the time I attack and disagree with her,” Cooke said. “But this is the one time she’s hitting a cord.” 

The congresswoman is a part of a growing trend of women pursuing the procedure. 

Nearly 39,000 women froze their eggs in 2024, up dramatically from around 6,000 in 2014, according to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. 

A separate study conducted by the University of California, Los Angeles found that the number of planned elective egg freezing cycles increased from 4,153 to 16,436 from 2014 to 2021.

The same study found that women are freezing their eggs at younger ages, which could lead to higher success rates. The average age of women who........

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