Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reveals important reason she’s decided to freeze her eggs

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has opened up about her decision to freeze her eggs, saying the current political climate played a major role in why she chose to share the deeply personal experience publicly.

The 36-year-old New York congresswoman revealed the news on Instagram over the weekend, documenting the beginning of the fertility preservation process and even showing herself preparing one of her injections.

Speaking to ABC News’ Jonathan Karl on This Week, Ocasio-Cortez explained why she felt it was important to be open about something many women may otherwise keep private.

"In this political environment where this administration is denying reproductive care to women across the country, from abortion rights to the ability to carry out a healthy pregnancy, I think it's important for us as leaders to have these conversations and share these processes, especially for working women across the country and normalise them," she said.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has opened up about her decision to begin freezing her eggs (Anna Moneymaker / Staff / Getty Images)

Ocasio-Cortez said she had been considering egg freezing for a long time and had been saving towards it before making the decision.

In her Instagram videos, she also spoke about the unusual experience of having major personal milestones play out while working in the public eye.

"When you get elected young, you have to grow up in the public eye in a time that most people usually get to grow more privately," she said.

She said she wants to use her platform to make conversations around fertility and women’s health feel less taboo, including topics such as pregnancy, menopause, perimenopause and PCOS.

AOC said she wanted to use her platform to make conversations around fertility and women’s health feel less taboo (Instagram/@aoc)

"As women in general, we are not taught about our bodies," she said.

"I think we need to show more depictions of women having full lives in every context and every choice," she added.

"This is a choice that I am making to feel more in control of my life," she continued. "If people want to make assumptions about my decision, let them make those assumptions. I feel empowered to make this choice."

The politician said she was 'empowered' by the decision (Anna Moneymaker / Staff / Getty Images)

She also acknowledged that fertility treatment can be expensive and said she recognised the privilege involved in being able to undergo the procedure.

Ocasio-Cortez added that she intends to share more of her experience, including the injections required before eggs can be retrieved and preserved.

AOC has documented her journey on social media (Instagram/@aoc)

She even planned to take one of her shots backstage before appearing on ABC, because the timing of her medication meant she couldn't wait until after the interview.

"Tomorrow, as part of my job, I am back in DC today because I'm going to be on ABC This Week, Sunday morning show. I'm going to be delivering an interview on national television. And it's in the morning, and I have to take my shots because of the timing of it; I'm gonna have to take my shots in the green room before my interview," she said.

"I want you all to see that, because women can do anything," she continued. "And I think it's bada** that I'm gonna be, you know, giving myself shots in the green room, get my glam on, roll out, talk international events, domestic policy, elections, pop out, live my life, do my thing."