A cryopreservation technique involves freezing eggs (oocytes), embryos, or sperm for future use in In vitro fertilization (IVF). Frozen sperm may also be used in IUI (intrauterine insemination) treatment cycles.
Infertility treatments typically include using hormones to stimulate the development of multiple eggs. After these eggs are retrieved and fertilized in the laboratory, embryos are formed that can be transferred to the woman’s uterus. Extra embryos of high quality can be cryopreserved (frozen) so that they can be used in the future.
Embryos can be cryopreserved between days 1 and 7 after egg retrieval. However, cryopreservation is unsuitable for all embryos, and only high-quality embryos are likely to survive and develop after cryopreservation. Slowly dividing embryos, or those with irregular shapes, do not survive cryopreservation and therefore are not frozen.
Cryopreservation of oocytes allows the patient to use these frozen eggs later when they are ready to become pregnant to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Doing so reduces the danger of chromosomal abnormalities, which usually increase with age. During IVF, frozen oocytes are thawed, combined with sperms in the lab, and if all works well, the egg gets fertilized, and the resulting embryo is implanted into the uterus.
Using the oocyte cryopreservation technique during IVF, you can sometimes preserve remaining harvested eggs for future use, such as when you have another child.
Cryopreservation of sperm or freezing of sperm is also a method of storing sperm for future use. In cases where radiation or chemicals could negatively affect men’s fertility, such as cancer treatment or prostate or testicular surgery, sperm Cryopreservation can assist them in protecting their fertility.
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Check out these posts for more information about social egg freezing and the life span of frozen sperm.
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