One of the most famous representatives of the US Democratic Party today, 36-year-old congresswoman from New York Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, spoke on Instagram about her decision to freeze her eggs in order to, in her words, “feel more in control of my life.” In a series of videos, she showed subscribers the medications that she needed to administer herself during preparation for the procedure, and also demonstrated how she injected herself into the abdominal area.
The congresswoman explained that she decided to publicly talk about her choice, in part, because of her disagreement with the policies of President Donald Trump's administration, which she accused of trying to “politicize women's bodies.” Ocasio-Cortez also admitted that she had been thinking about this step for a long time and had saved money in advance for the expensive procedure.
“We need to regain the right to control our own lives, and we need to talk about it,” she said.
Ocasio-Cortez connected her personal experience to broader discussions about reproductive rights, access to abortion and discrimination related to pregnancy and motherhood. In one of the published videos, she noted that women, unlike men, often face questions from employers about whether they are going to have children and when exactly.
“Men just don’t have to deal with it. Men run for office, or interview for that matter, and no one thinks, “Okay, this guy is running for office, how old is he, and would he like to start a family soon?” – she pointed out.
In videos posted Saturday, Ocasio-Cortez showed hormonal drugs, syringes and alcohol wipes. The medical phase of egg freezing usually takes 10 to 12 days and involves the daily administration of several medications. During this period, it is also necessary to undergo four to six ultrasound examinations of the pelvic organs and undergo regular blood tests. After maturation, the eggs are removed surgically under anesthesia, writes the Washington Post.
“This has been made possible by advances in technology that have made the procedure more affordable and accessible,” the congresswoman added.
A UCLA study published in 2025 found that the number of elective egg freezing cycles roughly quadrupled from 2014 to 2021. In addition, women began to undergo this procedure at a younger age: the average age decreased from 36 years in 2014 to 34.9 years in 2021.
Ocasio-Cortez consistently supports women's reproductive rights, notes the New York Times. In 2022, she co-sponsored the Women's Health Protection Act, which would have enshrined abortion rights at the federal level following the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
The congresswoman's statement came amid media speculation about her possible nomination to a higher government post. In an interview with ABC News' Jonathan Karl on Sunday, Ocasio-Cortez suggested she could run for president in 2028.
“I do not exclude this possibility. And I’m very touched by the support that I’m receiving,” she responded to the host’s question, adding that her focus now is primarily on the upcoming midterm elections.
As NBC News notes, Ocasio-Cortez has previously reported on a possible presidential campaign. In July, while attending campaign events for El-Sayed, who won the Michigan primary last week, she responded to Politico's question about a presidential run by saying “it's not out of the question.”
The media previously noted that the congresswoman, popular among young people and the left wing of the Democratic Party, has two options in the coming years – try to be elected to the Senate to replace Chuck Schumer or immediately aim for the White House.
If she wins in 2028, Ocasio-Cortez could become not only the first female US president, but also the first representative of the Latino community to lead the White House, as well as the youngest leader in the country's history at 39 years old.
