One factor explaining the declining birth rate in Japan is the social advancement of women. Women are delaying marriage and childbirth, with many then facing so-called 'social infertility'. Advanced infertility treatment options, such as in vitro fertilization, are available, but the costs are high. Further, the success rates for 'older' women are only around 10%. We report the preliminary results of an oocyte cryopreservation programme promoted and subsidized by our city government. Citywide seminars were conducted to generate awareness of issues surrounding fertility. Among the total 81 attendees were women considering oocyte retrieval and the current practice of oocyte retrieval and cryopreservation and its associated risks were explained. Fifty-seven attendees, women under 34 years of age, were considered potential candidates for the procedure. These women wished to delay pregnancy for specific reasons, such as occupational demands. Twenty-six of these women expressed a definite desire for oocyte cryopreservation, and 19 have thus far completed the oocyte retrieval and cryopreservation procedure. Frozen MII oocytes have ranged in number from 3 to 22 per patient (mean ± SD, 8.3 ± 5.2). Outcomes thus far indicate that women whose fertility is at risk can be assisted by this fertility preservation method and that it will help address the problem of the declining birth rate in Japan.

Purpose To examine the impact of social oocyte cryopreservation on local communities.Methods A prospective study was conducted on city-dwelling women < 35 years old attending monthly seminars on oocyte retrieval/cryopreservation to whom the study concept was explained. Egg collection and storage management costs were free for three years after the project completed, and subsequent actual storage costs were borne by the individuals. After oocyte retrieval, we conducted a questionnaire on oocyte cryopreservation and administrative assistance.Results Of the 62 seminar participants, 2 became pregnant naturally without oocyte retrieval. Oocytes were retrieved in 34 women (average age: 32.8 years, number of oocytes obtained: 8.3), among whom four subsequently became pregnant and gave birth through natural pregnancy or artificial insemination, and one became pregnant and gave birth using frozen oocytes. In a follow-up questionnaire of 34 subjects, all responded that they were glad to have oocyte cryopreservation, but 23 subjects (67.6%) answered that they could not perform cryopreservation without financial assistance. Twenty-five patients (73.5%) wanted to try to conceive without using frozen oocytes as a post-cryopreservation plan.Conclusions Egg cryopreservation and associated workshops may be useful not as a countermeasure against the declining birthrate but for the expansion of women’s reproductive options.