HOUSTON – A Houston healthcare leader is opening up about her decision to freeze her eggs, sharing what she calls a surprising discovery about employer-covered fertility benefits.
Valerie Archer, 34, an executive director at a cancer research hospital in Houston, said she chose to freeze her eggs to give herself more options in the future.
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Archer underwent treatment at CCRM Fertility of Houston with fertility specialist Dr. Beth Zhou. She said it was during that process that she first learned fertility treatments might be covered by her employer.
Archer said she only discovered the benefit after speaking with her care team and then confirming the details with her human resources department.
Her experience comes as fertility benefits are becoming more common in workplaces across the country. According to a 2024 survey by the International Foundation of Employee Benefit Plans, 42% of U.S. employers offered fertility-related benefits, up from 30% in 2020.
There is also a sharp rise in the number of people choosing to freeze their eggs. Data from the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology show egg freezing procedures in the United States increased from about 6,000 in 2014 to more than 39,000 in 2023.
Archer said she hopes sharing her experience helps normalize conversations around fertility and encourages others to ask questions about their own benefits.
She said many people may not realize what is available to them and wants others to understand they could have more options and support than they think.