The Kiev center accepts soldiers who want to freeze their sperm

Since January, the Kiev State Center for Reproductive Medicine has been accepting soldiers who want to have their sperm or eggs frozen free of charge. So far, about a dozen applicants have signed up. Parliament is set to discuss further amendments to the program's rules in the spring.

In 2022, after the start of the Russian invasion, private clinics in Ukraine began offering soldiers free sperm or egg freezing in case of injury, death, or loss of fertility. A year later, parliament passed a law regulating the practice and securing state funding. According to MP Oksana Dmitrieva, the program is intended to help those who are defending the country's future but whose family plans have been disrupted by the war.

The original legislation caused outrage when it called for the destruction of samples after the donor's death. Following criticism, the rules were changed: samples are stored free of charge for three years after death, and the partner can only use them with prior written consent.

The program also responds to the demographic crisis, which is exacerbated by war losses and the departure of millions of people abroad. At the same time, doctors warn that stress and mental health problems can worsen health and lead many to postpone parenthood for fear of the ongoing war.

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