Fertility preservation is available for couples gametes (eggs and sperms) and embryos. We also believe that “a stitch in time saves nine”
Fertility Preservation also Gamete Freezing
Gamete freezing is a common procedure in the field of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). Egg & Sperm freezing allow intended mother or father to preserve their fertility until they are ready to start a family.
Freezing embryos
The traditional way to preserve fertility was to freeze embryos. Eggs are removed after ovarian stimulation and fertilized in our laboratory. The embryos that are growing and meet criteria by Day 5, 6 or 7 are frozen or cryopreserved for future use. These embryos have an excellent chance of surviving the freeze/warming process and creating a pregnancy.
Freezing embryos allows a pregnancy to be achieved at some point in the future. Because embryos can be frozen, more than one pregnancy may be achieved with one retrieval. Cryopreservation is done with a process called vitrification. This process is safe and tolerated well by embryos.
Egg freezing
Freezing eggs or oocytes is relatively new because new technology has allowed successful freezing and thawing of human eggs with excellent pregnancy rates. Eggs are more fragile than embryos and proved more difficult to freeze. After ovarian stimulation, eggs are removed from the body and can be frozen for later use. When the woman is ready to conceive, eggs are thawed and fertilized. Eggs can be kept frozen indefinitely.
Women who choose to freeze eggs include women of advanced reproductive age who wish to defer starting their pregnancy until their fertility will be declined, women with a diagnosis of cancer or some other medical problem requiring chemotherapy or other long-term treatment that precludes pregnancy.
Sperm freezing
Sperm can be frozen for those undergoing an IVF procedure at Primecare Fertility Clinic (PCFC) or those who need their sperms frozen for later use due to the fact that they are undergoing a procedure that precludes them from having children or for Posthumous use at their demise. The reasons for freezing sperm vary, but common reasons for freezing sperm include:
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- Planned chemotherapy or radiation treatment for cancer that has potential to dramatically reduce sperm production.
- As a back-up for IVF or IUI if the male will be out of town or anticipates difficulty in producing a specimen.
- As a second source of sperm when there is severe male factor infertility