When was the first pregnancy achieved in embryo freezing?
The first frozen embryo baby was born in 1984. With the embryo freezing technique, there is a chance for the couple to transfer several times (in vitro fertilization trial) from the eggs collected once for the couple, thus increasing the total pregnancy rate.
What are the advantages of embryo freezing?
In total, the couple’s chances of conceiving increase. When the remaining good quality embryos are evaluated later, a more economical, less physically tiring and shorter treatment chance for the couple arises.
When an over-response of the ovaries occurs in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (called severe ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome), the eggs can be collected and any resulting embryos can be frozen for later transfer.
Embryos can be frozen and transferred later, when the endometrial thickness is insufficiently monitored during the cycle (an in vitro fertilization trial process), endometrial polyp is detected, or there is breakage bleeding close to transfer.
Embryo freezing before cancer chemotherapy or radiotherapy may be recommended.
How are embryos frozen and thawed?
Embryos can be frozen at all developmental stages. Embryos are mixed with a protective liquid and placed in plastic tubes or glass ampoules and stored frozen at -196 degrees in liquid nitrogen.
When frozen embryos are to be thawed, they are removed from liquid nitrogen, thawed at room temperature, separated from the protective liquid, taken into a special culture medium and placed in the incubator (devices in which the embryos are kept). Embryos that look good on the same day can be transferred.
How long can frozen embryos be stored?
Each country has legal regulations that bind it. Frozen embryos can be stored for a maximum of 5 years in Turkey. At the end of the fifth year, it is kept hidden or destroyed with the permission of the couple.
What is the viability rate when frozen embryos are thawed?
It is not possible for all frozen embryos to have the same viability when thawed. However, this rate is 75-80% in a good ice cream thawing program. In other words, 7-8 out of 10 frozen embryos can be transferred when thawed. This is because embryos can be damaged during freezing and thawing processes. This damage is minimal in a technologically well-equipped IVF laboratory and under the supervision of experienced embryologists.
Can babies born from frozen embryos have a health problem?
According to the knowledge so far, the rate of congenital anomalies in babies born from the transfer of frozen-thawed embryos is not higher compared to others. As a result, frozen embryo applications are safe and economical for the patient.