Created by three entrepreneurs from Padua, MeggyCare accompanies women who choose social freezing to preserve their fertility.
The subject of egg freezing during fertile years has been widely discussed in recent months, ever since the issue reached Parliament. What is currently under debate is the extension of public coverage for cryopreservation beyond the limits set by law, which today provide free access exclusively to women under 40 with oncological conditions. While waiting for the wheels of government to turn, some have already got to work to support women who wish to preserve their fertility: such is the case of the startup MeggyCare, selected for the second edition of the Women in Action accelerator programme.
We are, after all, a country that year after year records minimum birth and fertility rates. The latest data from the National Institute of Statistics (Istat) show that in 2024 the number of births in Italy fell by 2.6 per cent compared to 2023. The fertility rate hit an all-time low, with 1.18 children per woman and an average age at first birth of 32.6 years. Given that ovarian reserve declines significantly from the age of 35, it becomes clear that the factors driving low birth rates are also linked to the age at which people decide to have children. It is no coincidence that in 2024 the Ministry of Health released data showing that in Italy one in six couples experiences difficulty conceiving.
So how can we better support women who, for personal or professional reasons, wish to postpone motherhood? To preserve fertility over time, social freezing (or elective egg freezing) was developed. The procedure involves the ultra-rapid freezing at -196°C (vitrification) of eggs during the fertile years (between the ages of 21 and 37) and their cryopreservation not for clinical reasons, but as a matter of personal freedom. This technique allows women to postpone the prospect of pregnancy until they feel more ready, both emotionally and professionally.
The entrepreneurs Fanny Nardi, Lara Ranzato and Francesca Bosio — three women in their thirties from Padua — know this well. They are the founders of MeggyCare, the first Italian digital platform created to inform and support women throughout their fertility preservation journey. Designed to guide women towards an informed choice, the Padua-based startup's primary goal is to provide knowledge in a landscape marked by a significant information gap. To this end, it offers a free initial call in which doubts can be addressed and women can determine whether social freezing is what they truly want and need.
After this preliminary step, women can choose to continue with an assessment of their ovarian reserve, through blood tests and an ultrasound scan. Once the results are in, the user has access to a specialist consultation to analyse their fertility and plan the best course of action for them. At this point, the MeggyCare team steps in to guide the individual step by step, providing administrative and bureaucratic support throughout the entire process — from ovarian stimulation to egg freezing — relying on a network of accredited and reliable clinics. All of this is backed by a community of women with whom users can maintain constant human connection and shared experience. Because talking, understanding one another and listening is the first step towards a truly free choice.
