The controversial decision by Apple and Facebook to offer egg freezing as a perk to female employees is, as far as I’m concerned, a massive step in the right direction.

It’s unfortunate that the optimum time for a woman to have a child also happens to coincide with a time in her life when her attentions are elsewhere. While having children in their 20s was the norm for previous generations, times have changed. We’re staying longer in further education and climbing higher on the career ladder, which means that having a child before we hit 30 is no longer a priority. Add into this our financial freedom with the independence and opportunities it brings and it’s clear that very few of us are paying attention to our biological clock or settling down at a young age.

However, while times have changed, biology unfortunately has not. The fact remains that once we hit 30 our eggs start decreasing at a rapid rate. In fact, by the time we realise that we could do with an extra few years, it’s often too late for our eggs. Something I wish I had been aware of in my 20s. The fact is we’re often starved of the truth. Conceiving at a later age is difficult, incredibly so. Yet we hear more success stories than reality, we all know women who had babies at 40, yet those struggling to get pregnant are less likely to share their stories. So if this decision results in young women making informed choice about what’s important to them, then yes I absolutely welcome it.

Yes we do need more supports in place for women returning to the workplace after having children, yes we do need more women in senior positions, but what we need more than anything else is an educated workforce. We need women who understand that time is of the essence and can plan around biology, not be enslaved by it. By understanding the constraints placed on us by our bodies, we can choose the best path for ourselves. And surely that is the greatest perk?

What do you think? Comment below to share your thoughts.