Irish Examiner view: Frozen in time

Forward planning

Clinics in Dublin, which can charge €3,000 for one cycle, report a doubling of enquiries from customers.

One of the unforseen outcomes of the Covid pandemic appears to be a significant increase in the number of women freezing their eggs and reconsidering their timetables for starting a family. 

Clinics in Dublin, which can charge €3,000 for one cycle, report a doubling of enquiries from customers, many of them in their 30s, who are aware that their chances of finding a partner and conceiving are declining the longer the nation remains in lockdown.

In addition, the restrictions have given people a greater ability to save money for fertility treatments. 

One group scientific director said he did not believe people were planning to become lone parents but wanted an insurance policy if they met an appropriate partner in the future. 

Social scientists like to identify certain cohorts, for example, baby boomers and millennials with unique descriptors. 

Let us see what they can come up with for the class of 22. Or 23? Or 24?