Tech companies are setting off a new debate about women and work. Many are famous for their lavish benefits. Perks like in-office haircuts, dry cleaning and concierge services have become commonplace. The latest is sparking debate. Facebook in January began covering up to $20,000 in egg freezing expenses, and Apple said it would start covering egg freezing this January.

Some doctors say egg freezing could be as influential as the birth control pill in freeing women from the confines of biology. Childbirth coincides with prime career-building years, but are employers now helping women achieve a balance between family and work, or are they avoiding established policies, like paid family leave, childcare and flexible work arrangements.

“Egg freezing seems to put a Band-Aid on the problem of how difficult it is for women to have a career and raise a family concurrently,” Seema Mohapatra, a health care law and bioethics expert, wrote in August.

For women who are considering egg freezing, the new benefit is likely to be a highly welcome surprise. It may seem a logical extension of employee-sponsored health. Yet workplaces could be seen as paying women to put off childbearing. With egg freezing, employers can delay maternity leave and childcare responsibilities.

“It is certainly in the employer’s interest to delay fertility for these women, from a business perspective,” said a woman who froze her eggs but would discuss it only anonymously. “But in my experience, it’s more personal: Are you married or not married, and if you’re not and you’re over 35, it’s a health thing.”

“What I worry about is it’s not going to be just used by that population,” said Seema Mohapatra in an interview, “but is going to be used by the population in their 20s and early 30s saying, ‘If I want to be seen as a serious employee and make it to vice president, I can’t take maternity leave. They’re offering this insurance policy to me or else I’ll be deemed as being on the mommy track.’  ”

Both companies emphasized that this was one of many family-friendly benefits they offered to employees. Perks include baby bonuses to spend on diapers and meals and benefits for adoptive and same-sex parents. “We want to empower women at Apple to do the best work of their lives as they care for loved ones and raise their families.”