Following an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedure, there are often embryos that remain unused. Cryopreservation is a technique that allows you to freeze such embryos for up to ten years. Consequently, these embryos can be used in a future IVF cycle without the female partner having to undergo another round of fertility medication. When a couple does decide to use a cryopreserved embryo to achieve conception, the embryo must first be thawed and then implanted in the uterine cavity.
Cryopreservation may be a worthwhile option for couples embarking on an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) routine. Here's why.
Cryopreservation allows you to freeze your fertility in time. By cryopreserving embryos, you have the liberty to plan a family at your own pace, with minimal medication and effort in recurrent IVF cycles.
On Cloudnine, we recommend cryopreservation when we notice inadequate endometrial development, which could potentially hamper embryo implantation. By cryopreserving embryos until the uterine cavity can sustain implantation, you can boost your chances of conception.
Cryopreservation is well-suited for those who have a history of infertility. It is a technique that allows you to grow your family when you're ready, without the emotional and physical baggage of additional fertility medication. The success of an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) cycle is dependent on multiple considerations. Thus, if you have had repeated episodes of unsuccessful fertility treatments, cryopreservation could lend you hope.
Cryopreservation essentially involves just a few additional steps after an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedure.
If this hasn't already been done during the IVF procedure, your fertility specialist may screen you and your partner for diseases such as HIV.
During this step, the embryos that have been shortlisted for cryopreservation will be immersed in tanks of liquid nitrogen. A liquid substance, called a cryoprotectant is used as a supplement to insulate the embryos from external factors.
Whenever you're ready to grow your family, your fertility consultant will thaw one or more embryos and carefully place them into your uterine cavity. On Cloudnine, we believe in giving you the best pregnancy possible, thereby limiting the number of embryos we deposit, to two per cycle.
The routine risks associated with cryopreservation generally stem from gaps that arise during the execution of the procedure. On Cloudnine, we labour over every little detail involved in cryopreservation, to ensure that your risks are minimised while your experience is one to remember.
Embryos are volatile and susceptible to damage when they are thawing, and that's where the risk lies. If embryos are not thawed correctly, they can be encumbered by ice shards, and be damaged as a result. On Cloudnine, our advanced technologies are tailored to thaw embryos perfectly, ensuring that their survival rates are optimised.
An embryo is made up of tens of cells, and sometimes, the thawing process could destroy some of them. However, a 100-cell embryo can usually withstand such weathering, and still be strong enough to survive inside the uterine cavity.
Fertility preservation means storing or preserving sex cells or tissue for use at a later point to help achieve pregnancy. Fertility preservation is made possible by the latest cryopreservation (freezing) methods. It is the simplest way to preserve fertility. Using a slow cooling approach which is still widespread in India, only (pre)inseminated egg cells can be preserved. Vitrification permits the cryopreservation of non-inseminated egg cells with a very high survival rate. Cryopreservation enables women who do not have a partner or are not yet sure that they would like to have a child with their current partner to have their non-inseminated eggs preserved over a period of years.