Embryo Freezing

Fertility treatment providers offer fertility preservation procedures such as embryo freezing that allow individuals and couples to secure their chances of having a baby later. This service has become popular as it provides flexibility and peace of mind when it comes to family planning.

What is Embryo Freezing?

Embryo freezing, or embryo cryopreservation, involves preserving viable embryos by cooling them to sub-zero temperatures. This process is often utilised during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments to preserve extra embryos for future use.

Embryo freezing is helpful for those who may need to delay pregnancy due to medical treatments, personal reasons, or other circumstances.

Reputed fertility treatment providers ensure the highest standards of care and technology in embryo freezing. They meticulously select high-quality embryos, place them in a protective solution, and rapidly freeze them in liquid nitrogen at temperatures below -196°C. This method ensures the embryos remain viable for future use, offering hope and flexibility for those planning their families.

Who Needs Embryo Freezing?

Embryo freezing may be recommended for the following reasons:

  • IVF Cycle Cancellation: If an IVF cycle needs to be cancelled after egg collection, freezing the embryos allows for their use in future cycles.

  • Excess Good-Quality Embryos: If excess good-quality embryos are formed in an IVF or IVF-ICSI cycle, freezing these embryos allows for their use in subsequent cycles, without undergoing additional egg retrieval procedures.

  • Medical Conditions: If either partner is undergoing medical treatments like chemotherapy that may affect fertility, embryo freezing offers a way to preserve the possibility of having biological children.

  • Personal Reasons: Embryo freezing can benefit those who wish to delay pregnancy for career, financial, or other personal reasons.

How Embryo Freezing is Done

1. Egg Collection and Fertilisation

  • Collection: The process begins with the collection of mature eggs from the ovaries through a minor surgical procedure called egg retrieval, under mild sedation.

  • Fertilisation: Collected eggs are fertilised with sperm in a lab via conventional insemination or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), where a single sperm is directly injected into the egg.

  • Embryo Culture: The fertilised eggs (now embryos) are cultured in a controlled environment for 2-5 days. During this period, only embryos that develop properly and meet specific quality criteria are selected for freezing.

2. Protective Solution

Selected high-quality embryos are placed in a cryoprotective solution, which prevents ice crystal formation that can damage cells during freezing.

3. Rapid Freezing

Embryos undergo a rapid freezing process known as vitrification. This method involves cooling the embryos so quickly that water inside them does not form ice crystals.

  • Temperature: The embryos are plunged into liquid nitrogen, reaching temperatures below -196°C almost instantaneously.

  • Storage: The vitrified embryos are then stored in special containers within the liquid nitrogen tanks, where they remain in a stable, preserved state until they are needed.

Why Choose Us

Choosing the right fertility clinic is crucial for starting your family. At Birla Fertility & IVF, we offer personalised care with expert specialists guiding you every step of the way. Our advanced labs and outstanding success rates have helped over 2,30,000 patients achieve their dream of parenthood.

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Things to Remember for Embryo Freezing

Before the Treatment

  • Permission and Consent: You must provide permission and sign a consent form.
  • Details in Consent Form: The form outlines how many embryos will be frozen, the duration of storage, and other necessary details.
  • Informed Consent: This ensures that the patient understands and agrees to all aspects of the process, including legal and procedural information.

During the Treatment

  • Cryoprotective Agent: A cryoprotective agent is added to the embryos.
  • Function: This liquid acts like antifreeze, protecting the embryos from ice crystal formation that can damage cells.
  • Rapid Freezing: The embryos are then placed into tanks of liquid nitrogen for rapid freezing.

After the Treatment

  • Removal from Storage: The embryos are carefully removed from the liquid nitrogen storage tanks.
  • Thawing Process: They are brought to normal temperature gradually to avoid shock to the cells.
  • Soaking: The embryos are soaked to remove any remaining cryoprotective agent.
  • Preparation for Transfer: Once thawed, the embryos are prepared for transfer into the uterus.
  • Embryo Transfer: The embryos are placed in a catheter and transferred into the uterus in a procedure similar to a simple, painless injection, aiming to achieve a successful pregnancy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Advances in cryopreservation (freezing) technology and use of cryoprotectants have significantly improved survival rates of embryos being frozen. As survival of the embryo through the freezing and thawing process significantly depends on its quality, only good quality embryos are selected for this process.

If you wish to transfer your frozen embryos to another clinic or city, both you and your partner will be required to give your informed consent by filling the relevant forms. These will be explained to you in further detail by your fertility care team.

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