Following most fertility treatment women usually have good quality embryo with an option to freeze them for possible use in a future cycle. In some cases, when IVF cycles are cancelled because of risks from the procedure, embryo freezing is a viable option for use at a later date when the procedure is safe. The presence of extra embryos reduces the cost of subsequent treatments and the risk involved with ovulation induction and egg retrieval.
Good quality embryos can be frozen for as long as possible and stored for use at a later date. The average length of time of storage is 10 years; however, it could be longer. The use of a frozen embryo for achieving a pregnancy gives the same pregnancy rates as a fresh embryo.
Two methods of freezing embryo are:
- Slow or gradual freezing in a freezer
- Rapid freezing or vitrification in which the embryos are rapidly frozen in nitrogen.
Both techniques are used in our clinic for embryo freezing.
Vitrification
Do you think embryo freezing and storage is right for you? If you have questions about it kindly discuss it with our IVF staff.
