New York Democratic Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has made a rare, personal reveal: the 36-year-old progressive leader has opted to freeze her eggs, and she is opening up about the early stages of the process to destigmatize fertility care amid a national reckoning over reproductive rights in the United States.
Ocasio-Cortez first shared short video clips documenting her experience on social media this past Sunday. Just hours after posting the content, she appeared on ABC News’ *This Week* where she addressed both her fertility journey and swirling speculation about her future political ambitions.
In her candid social media clips, Ocasio-Cortez walks viewers through a self-administered injection required for the egg-freezing process, shares actionable tips she has picked up from her own medical appointments, and answers common public questions about everything from the steep costs of fertility treatment to the clinical steps involved and how accessing this care navigates what she describes as America’s broken healthcare system.
Speaking to *This Week*, the congresswoman explained her decision to share such a personal process: she aims to normalize open conversations about egg freezing and fertility care, particularly at a moment when reproductive autonomy is under attack across the country. “This administration is denying reproductive care to women across the country, from abortion rights to the ability to carry out a healthy pregnancy,” she told anchor George Stephanopoulos. “I think it’s important for us as leaders to have these conversations and share these processes,” she added, framing her transparency as an act of political solidarity with people navigating reproductive care access nationwide.
The conversation soon turned to growing rumors about Ocasio-Cortez’s national political aspirations, prompted by recent polling that shows strong popularity for her as a potential 2028 Democratic presidential candidate. When first asked about a White House run, Ocasio-Cortez laughed and deflected the question, emphasizing her immediate political priority. “I’m focused on winning the midterms, I’m running for Congress right now,” she said.
When pressed further on whether she would leave the door open to a 2028 presidential bid and whether such a run is a realistic prospect, Ocasio-Cortez confirmed she has not closed off that path. “I haven’t ruled out the possibility and I’m very humbled by the tremendous amount of support out there,” she said, adding that “We have a responsibility to remain focused on the midterms and not on our individual aspirations or plans.”
When asked about another high-profile potential race—a challenge to Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, New York’s senior Democratic senator, for his Senate seat—Ocasio-Cortez offered a similarly open-ended response, saying “anything was possible.”
The upcoming U.S. midterm elections, scheduled for early November, fall in the middle of President Biden’s four-year presidential term. All 435 seats in the U.S. House of Representatives are up for election, along with 35 of the 100 seats in the U.S. Senate, making the cycle critical for Democrats looking to maintain or expand their control of Congress.