Cryopreservation of Embryos, Oocytes
An Overview:
Cryopreservation, often referred to as embryo or oocyte freezing, is a revolutionary technique in reproductive medicine that offers individuals and couples the opportunity to preserve their fertility for future use. This process allows individuals to preserve their fertility by banking reproductive cells, offering a safeguard against age-related decline or medical treatments that may impact fertility.
The Cryopreservation Process
The cryopreservation process begins with ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval, typically as part of an IVF cycle. Once eggs are retrieved, they are fertilized with sperm to form embryos, or frozen as unfertilized eggs. These embryos or oocytes are then carefully cryopreserved using specialized freezing techniques to maintain their viability over time.
Benefits of Cryopreservation
Cryopreservation offers several benefits, including:
Fertility Preservation: Cryopreservation provides individuals facing medical treatments such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy with the opportunity to preserve their fertility before undergoing potentially fertility-compromising therapies.
Delayed Childbearing: For those wishing to delay childbearing for personal or professional reasons, cryopreservation allows for the preservation of reproductive cells until the individual is ready to start a family.
Genetic Screening: Cryopreserved embryos can undergo preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) for chromosomal abnormalities or genetic disorders, allowing for the selection of embryos with the highest likelihood of a successful pregnancy.
Increased Success Rates: By freezing embryos or oocytes, individuals can undergo additional cycles of IVF with higher success rates compared to fresh cycles, as the frozen embryos can be transferred during optimal uterine conditions.