Embryo Freezing

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.