Embryo Freezing (Cryopreservation): Purpose, Benefits & Risks

Imagine being able to put your cherished dreams of parenthood on hold until the time is right. That’s precisely what embryo freezing enables – the ability to safeguard your fertility and create a family on your terms. Whether you’re facing age-related fertility decline, medical treatments that could impact your ability to conceive, or simply want to focus on your career and personal goals first, embryo freezing offers a ray of hope.

Embryo freezing is a scientific way of preserving cells for future use in a laboratory. It is also about keeping your cherished dreams of having a family in a safe locker till you are ready for a family.

Embryo freezing helps individuals to sidestep age-related fertility decline, medical treatments that may harm fertility, or situations that are not conducive to immediate childbearing. It is also possible to freeze unfertilized eggs and get them fertilised at a later date. Also, fertilisation may lead to at least one healthy embryo or more. Later, the doctor transfers the embryo to the womb or uterus. If there is more than one embryo, they can be frozen for later use. In this blog, we will explore, what embryo freezing is, its benefits and risks and also outline the process.

What is Embryo Freezing?

Embryo freezing, also known as cryopreservation, is a remarkable scientific advancement that allows us to preserve embryos for future use. This incredible technology gives hope and empowers individuals and couples in their journey to start a family.

It gives them the chance to keep their dream of being parents alive. Thus, Embryo freezing or cryopreservation is a miraculous wonder of modern medicine, that offers future possibilities to fulfil dreams of parenthood. The intricate process carefully freezes embryos at very low temperatures thus putting a stop to development to a time when they are ready for use in IVF or in vitro fertilization. The frozen embryos may also be used in other assisted reproductive treatments.

What is the Process of Embryo Freezing?

The embryo freezing procedure involves preserving embryos at sub-zero temperatures through the process of cryopreservation. Here is a simple breakdown of the steps: 

• Fertility Medication and Egg Retrieval: The process begins with hormonal stimulation. This aids in encouraging the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. A medical administrator uses Fertility medications and monitors the growth of follicles containing the eggs. The monitoring is done through ultrasound and hormone level checks. After the eggs reach the desired size, a trigger shot facilitates their final maturation.
• Egg Retrieval: The eggs are retrieved 36 hours after the trigger shot from the ovaries. The retrieval is done using a minimally invasive procedure or transvaginal ultrasound aspiration. 
• Fertilisation: After the retrieval the eggs are combined with sperm in a laboratory setting. Doctors may use conventional insemination or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Through any of these ways, a single sperm is directly injected into each egg. Thus this step helps to achieve fertilisation and the creation of embryos.
• Embryo Culture: Now embryos, are kept in a controlled environment in the laboratory for culture. The embryos are kept under close observation and allowed to reach the optimal stage for freezing.
• Cryopreservation: The appropriately developed embryos are carefully frozen using a specialised freezing technique called vitrification. This process of rapid freezing helps to prevent the formation of ice crystals. Consequently, it ensures the embryos remain viable during the thawing.
• Storage: After freezing, the frozen embryos are safely stored in cryopreservation tanks. Consequently, they remain in suspended animation till they are desired by the couple for future IVF cycles.

Benefits of Embryo Freezing?

Embryo freezing helps couples or single individuals by preserving embryos for future use in assisted reproductive techniques. Also, it provides couples with the option of choosing a convenient time over their reproductive choices. and overcoming fertility barriers. Therefore, the process offers an array of advantages to family planning and fertility preservation:

Here are some benefits:

1. Overcoming Biological Clock Constraints: Embryo freezing empowers individuals to start a family at a conducive time. It also helps women to extend their fertile years. Working women get the advantage of focusing on their careers, personal growth, or relationships and choosing their time to have children without sacrificing career choices. Also, they are free to freeze embryos in their prime reproductive years and start a family at a time that aligns with their life goals.

2. Mitigating Fertility Challenges: Embryo freezing brings hope to women facing critical health conditions like cancer. Such women can preserve their fertility for later conception without having to worry about the effects of chemotherapy or radiation on fertility. 

3. Empowering LGBTQ+ Couples: Embryo freezing procedure gives hope to same-sex couples, transgenders and others to enjoy parenthood. Donor embryos can allow them the experience of parenthood.

4. Ensuring Genetic Continuity: With this procedure, couples can overcome inherent genetic disorders or hereditary barriers. Also, they can enjoy being parents by pre-implantation genetic testing. Doctors can ensure viable embryo selection without the genetic condition for transfer during IVF. Thus ensuring a healthy baby.

5. Preserving Relationships: Embryo freezing helps strengthen relationships by offering hope and togetherness to couples with fertility issues. Thus, helping them to bond over a shared goal of creating a family.

What are the Risks of Embryo Freezing?

Like every medical procedure, embryo freezing also comes with certain risks, including:

• Embryo Viability: Even at optimal freezing procedures, all embryos may not survive the freezing and thawing process. Therefore, despite the best conditions, some embryos do not survive cryopreservation. 

• Multiple Embryo Transfers: Sometimes multiple embryos are frozen. Couples may desire or take the chance of transferring multiple embryos in the hope of a successful pregnancy. However, this can lead to complications of multiple pregnancies.

• Ethical Considerations: There are unanswered questions about the fate of unused embryos.  Couples often face ethical dilemmas about disposal, donation, or continued storage of embryos. 

How Long Can an Embryo Be Frozen?

It is considered that embryos can be indefinitely stored at ultra-low temperatures. However, most fertility clinics recommend storage periods of up to 10 years. Consequently, after the period couples may continue storage, and use them for fertility treatment. They may also consider donating them for research or disposing of them.

Conclusion

Embryo freezing represents a monumental stride in reproductive medicine, offering hope, empowerment, and the chance to build families despite life’s uncertainties. The ability to preserve embryos for future use has opened doors to countless possibilities, allowing individuals and couples to fulfil their dreams of parenthood on their terms. 

If you’re considering embryo freezing or have questions about your fertility options, reach out to Dispur Poly Clinic and Hospitals today for expert guidance and personalised care. Your journey to parenthood awaits—take the first step today.

Don’t let infertility define your journey. Take the first step towards parenthood with a complimentary consultation at Dispur Poly Clinic, the fertility clinic in Guwahati committed to empowering couples with hope and compassion. Reach out to us at +91-7670007615 or schedule your appointment online today. Our team of fertility specialists is here to support you through every stage of your journey.