Chinese Court Rules Against Single Woman Who Wanted to Freeze Her Eggs

A Beijing court has ruled against a legal challenge by an unmarried woman seeking to freeze her eggs. The case has put the spotlight on women’s reproductive rights in China and limitations single women face in delaying parenthood.

Since 2019, Xu Zaozao (not her real name) turned to legal action to defend her reproductive rights after her request to freeze her eggs was rejected by a local hospital due to her marital status. Xu was reportedly the first unmarried woman in the country to do so. Chinese regulations state that married women are allowed to freeze their eggs if they have fertility issues.