Egg cryopreservation
Background of egg cryopreservation
Cryopreservation of embryos and sperm is a well known method to preserve infertility. Recently, egg cryopreservation is rapidly advancing with more successful pregnancies and deliveries reported after the fertilization of cryopreserved eggs.
Suspending women’s fertility in time
As we all know, reproductive potential in women starts to decline in their early 30s. Furthermore, the miscarriage rates are higher in pregnant women of advanced maternal age due to the increased of chromosomal abnormalities in embryos.
As there is more problems associated with advanced maternal age, the advanced in egg cryopreservation technology provides an option for women to preserve their eggs at their younger age. The eggs can be used for a higher chance of future pregnancy.
Egg cryopreservation for female cancer patients
Egg cryopreservation is particularly important for fertility preservation in women with cancer. It has been proven that cancer treatments, including chemotherapy and radiotherapy, can damage eggs in the ovaries. These treatments are able to destroy rapidly dividing cells which include cancer cells but also eggs. Many cases have been reported that cancer treatment can cause early menopause, which affects a woman’s fertility.
Cryopreservation of eggs of female cancer patients is recommended to preserve their fertility before cancer treatments.
No sperm on the day of IVF
Occasionally, the husband may have difficulty in collecting sperm during the day of egg collection. In this situation, eggs can be cryopreserved for later fertilization when sperm is available.
Fresh eggs are comparable to cryopreserved eggs
In October 2012, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) concluded that there is good evidence showing IVF with cryopreserved eggs and fresh eggs results in comparable fertilization rates and pregnancy rates. In addition, cryopreserved/warmed eggs do not increase the frequency of chromosomal abnormalities, congenital defects or developmental defects in infants. Thus, egg preservation should no longer be considered experimental.
