Ukraine offers free sperm freezing to soldiers amid demographic crisis
What's the story
In Ukraine, soldiers are now offered free sperm and egg freezing services as part of a state-funded program to combat the country's demographic crisis. The initiative was launched in 2022 with private clinics offering cryopreservation to servicemen and women after Russia's invasion, the BBC reported. The following year, parliament regulated the practice and provided state funding for it.
Future planning
To support soldiers who are defending Ukraine's future
The program is aimed at ensuring that soldiers' families can have children even if they are killed in action. MP Oksana Dmitrieva, who helped draft the law, said it was to support soldiers who are defending Ukraine's future but may lose their own. The law was initially criticized for mandating the destruction of samples upon a donor's death, but has since been amended to allow preservation for up to three years after death with prior written consent from a partner.
Declining births
Demand to increase as awareness spreads
Kyiv's state-run Centre for Reproductive Medicine started enrolling soldiers in the program in January. However, only a few have signed up so far. The director of the clinic, Oksana Holikova, expects demand to increase as awareness spreads. She noted that the number of pregnant patients has halved since the war began and stressed that women are afraid of getting pregnant due to the ongoing conflict conditions.
Awareness campaign
Legislation to assist military families
Dmitrieva has been encouraging soldiers to discuss their fertility problems and consider freezing sperm. She said that while they are often embarrassed at first, many end up participating after learning more about the program. The initiative is also a response to a demographic crisis that existed before the war but has worsened due to high casualties among young men in action.
Family struggles
Program seen as necessary step
The legislation to assist military families doesn't always work smoothly. Katerina Malyshko, whose husband Vitaly was killed in action, struggled with fertility treatment due to legal restrictions on using frozen embryos or sperm after a donor's death. She had to fight a legal battle for her rights, but eventually won the case. The program is seen as a necessary step toward improving Ukraine's demographic situation amid ongoing conflict and loss of life.