CRYOPRESERVATION AND IVF

Cryopreservation is a technique used by IRMS to freeze and then thaw eggs, embryos
or sperm for use in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Thawed sperm may also be used
in IUI (intrauterine insemination) treatment cycles. With the availability of frozen
embryos, a woman doesn’t need to undergo stimulation by fertility drugs in order to
have an embryo transfer during an infertility treatment cycle .In Cryopreservation the
cells and tissue can be stored for long periods to be used later. These are frozen and
stored in liquid nitrogen at -196° Celsius.

The 1st human pregnancy from a frozen embryo was achieved :however, it had been
terminated simply by spontaneous abortion in the second trimester. Since then, embryo
CP,has become routine procedure in human assisted reproduction (AR) as well as
oocyte CP is getting introduced into clinical training and is also getting more and more
widely used.

What can be stored?

Cryopreservation is also a common method used in fertility treatment. 
 Unfertilised eggs
 Fertilised eggs in pronuclear stage
 Embryos
 Sperms
 Testicular tissues
 Ovarian tissue

When can we use cryopreservation :

1. As part of artificial or assisted fertilisation
It is often useful to freeze fertilised eggs in the pronuclear stage and store them for later
intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) or in vitro fertilisation (IVF).
If necessary, these eggs can be further cultivated and used, for example, if the parents
want another child later.
2. Before treating severe illnesses
In some serious diseases, there is a very high risk of becoming infertile due to the
treatment of the disease. This can be the case, for example, in the treatment of cancer
by chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery. After a thorough medical consultation and
assessment of the risk, those who want to have children can take precautions to
prepare for a loss of fertility and have their sperm or testicular tissue or their eggs or
ovarian tissue cryopreserved before the treatment.
3. In social freezing
Some young women may want a child, but they may not be able to or want to become
pregnant at their current stage of life for personal reasons. It may be, for example, that
her own career does not allow for this or that she has not yet found the right partner.

How does it work:

Once a couple has a desire to use a frozen fertilised egg to get pregnant, this egg can
be further cultivated and transferred to the uterus. This is referred to as cryotransfer.
Unfertilised eggs that have been frozen are fertilised in advance by an intracytoplasmic
sperm injection.
The cryotransfer can be carried out at optimal cycle conditions without any hormonal
support. Another possibility is to assist the build-up of the lining of the uterus with
oestrogen and to optimally prepare it for the implantation of the egg. The doctor can
measure the thickness of the lining of the uterus with an ultrasound scan. Once it is
thick enough, ovulation is simulated by administering progesterone. This changes the
structure of the lining, preparing it to receive embryos. The third option is hormonal
stimulation with clomiphene or FSH to support follicle maturation prior to embryo
transfer. The doctor can then insert the embryo/embryos into the uterus using a soft
catheter. 

If any risk factors associated :

Cryopreservation has been used for many years, and most studies show no adverse
effects. However, an individual consultation is always included as part of the treatment.