(Bloomberg) -- Storage limits for sperm, eggs and embryos in the U.K. are to be increased to a maximum of 55 years to give people greater choice over when to start a family.
Under the proposals announced by Health Secretary Sajid Javid on Monday, prospective parents would be given the option to keep or dispose of frozen reproductive cells or embryos at 10-year intervals. The existing storage limit is 10 years.
“The current storage arrangements can be severely restrictive for those making the important decision about when to start a family, and this new legislation will help turn off the ticking clock in the back of people's minds,” Javid said in a statement.
“Technological breakthroughs –- including in egg freezing -– have changed the equation in recent years and it's only right that this progress puts more power into the hands of potential parents,” he said.
The proposals, which follow a public consultation, require approval by Parliament.
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