Commentator Bethany Mandel has criticized Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's recent social media posts documenting her egg-freezing process, characterizing the public display as "vulgar politicking" and "ruthless ambition." Mandel argued in a Daily Mail opinion piece that Ocasio-Cortez's videos, which show the congresswoman injecting herself with hormones, serve as a "strange way to indirectly inform the world that you're back on the market."
Multiple outlets reported Tuesday that Ocasio-Cortez had ended her engagement to Riley Roberts approximately 18 months ago. Mandel suggests that the congresswoman's public "egg freeze" journey may have been intended to signal this personal development without directly addressing her private life. When approached by a New York Post reporter, Ocasio-Cortez stated, "I don't comment on my private life – thank you."
Mandel questioned the congresswoman's assertion on ABC's "This Week" that her actions were a defiance against "the patriarchy, the Right, Trump" and an act of empowerment in response to reproductive healthcare restrictions. Mandel contends that "Trump and this Republican Congress have done nothing to hinder a women's ability to 'carry out a healthy pregnancy.'"
Further critiquing the procedure, Mandel cited a study published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology that followed over 15,000 women who underwent oocyte cryopreservation. According to the study, the mean age of participants was between 35 and 36, aligning with Ocasio-Cortez's age. The research indicated that only 5.7 percent of patients attempted to use their frozen eggs, resulting in a live birth rate of under two percent for the entire cohort.
Mandel also referenced the experience of Brigitte Adams, who appeared on a 2014 Bloomberg Businessweek cover promoting egg freezing. Adams, who froze her eggs in her late thirties, reportedly faced significant challenges when attempting to use them years later, with multiple eggs failing to fertilize or develop into viable embryos. The Washington Post reported in 2018 that Adams was left without a pregnancy after her attempts.
Mandel posited that egg freezing can offer a "false sense of control" with potential "devastating psychological consequences," referencing psychotherapist Lori Gottlieb's view that delaying fertility treatment can also lengthen one's emotional timeline, making it painful to eventually close off that avenue. Mandel concluded that while there is nothing inherently wrong with Ocasio-Cortez's decision to freeze her eggs, using such a personal experience as a political platform while presenting what Mandel calls a "comforting fiction" about the procedure is problematic.