New egg and sperm bank planned for Canary Islands
The regional government is considering the possibility of creating a public egg and sperm bank in the Canary Islands in response to the steadily rising age of mothers, which currently stands between 32 and 33 years old. Esther Monzón, the Minister of Health for the Canary Islands, confirmed during yesterday’s parliamentary session that the Servicio Canario de la Salud (SCS) is evaluating the project.
She has warned, however, that managing a public ovum bank “is complicated” because donations would not only come from local donors, but eggs would also have to be purchased from mainland Spain and other countries. “Despite the complexity, there is interest in creating it,” she said.
Calls to extend fertility treatment age
The debate began when a proposal from Nationalist Party MP Jana González called for extending the age limit for access to fertility treatments to 45 years. This move was also supported by Jesús Ramos (ASG) and Mónica Muñoz (PP).
Monzón stressed that fertility treatments are already available for single women, heterosexual couples, and same-sex couples, and that the SCS is “working to optimise care” for women at the upper age limit.
All parties agreed that the drop in birth rates in the Canary Islands is worrying, with fewer babies born in both 2023 and 2024. Monzón said tackling the problem will need a clear plan that includes better housing, tax measures, and support for families.
Supporting women’s reproductive choices
Speaking as both a minister and a mother, Monzón expressed empathy for women who delay motherhood until a more stable stage in life, acknowledging the biological risks of reduced fertility, increased miscarriage rates, premature births, and pregnancy complications.
Jana González has said that “Canarian women know that being a mother is an option, not an obligation,” rejecting the idea that delayed motherhood is a trend or fashion. She supported the creation of a public egg bank and called for breaking the “myth” that private healthcare achieves better fertility results than the public system. She also proposed covering travel costs for women undergoing treatment who live on smaller islands without major hospitals, as well as providing psychological support during the process.
Other MPs suggested wider measures to encourage births, including subsidised childcare, baby bonuses, free school transport, flexible working options, and tax breaks to make parenthood “a free choice, not a luxury”.
Wider political debate
The discussion also exposed ideological differences. Nicasio Galván (Vox) criticised the debate for avoiding the issue of abortion, while Yone Caraballo (NC) questioned how a fertility strategy could work in a region where many people cannot afford to move out of their parents’ homes by age 30 and poverty levels are among the highest in Spain.
Mónica Muñoz (PP) reminded the chamber that “behind every number is a woman and a family that deserves to be understood,” stressing that maternity should be “a free, conscious, and supported decision.”
Meanwhile, Miguel Ángel Pérez del Pino (PSOE) argued that the proposal by the Nationalists sidesteps key issues like the housing crisis, pointing out that although the government declared a housing emergency two years ago, no new homes have been built beyond those already planned.
The Health Ministry is expected to continue evaluating the viability of a public egg and sperm bank in the coming months as part of broader discussions on population and fertility policies in the archipelago.
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