Is vitrification standard method of cryopreservation

Abstract

Cryopreservation of human oocytes and embryos or blastocyts is an important choice in assisted reproduction treatment that leads to an increased cumulative outcome while decreasing other attempts’ costs. It provides an opportunity for patients to have more than one attempt following an ovarian stimulation cycle, thereby decreasing the exposure of patients to exogenous gonadotrophins. Vitrification is a cryopreservation technique that leads to a glass-like solidification. Oocyte, zygote, embryo and blastocyst freezing by vitrification method for cryopreservation have been used for many years beside sperms preservation. Moreover, the use of vitrification technology for ovarian tissue cryopreservation to freeze eggs offers such an elderly women who sometime find more difficulty in conceiving or in maintaining pregnancy till full term because of old age compared to relatively younger women who might get better chances to get a healthy pregnancy. Furthermore, vitrification helps cancer patients who are looking to preserve their fertility later on after completing their treatment.

Keywords

• Vitrification
• Cryopreservation
• Oocytes
• Embryos
• Blastocyts
• Assisted reproduction