Egg vitrification (oocyte vitrification) is now available at Clinica Fertia, fertility clinic Spain

28-Nov-2011

The clinical laboratory at Clinica Fertia has been approved to employ the technique of egg vitrification in Spain.

What Is Oocyte Vitrification (Egg Vitrification)?

Oocyte (Egg) Vitrification is one of the possible freezing methods used during the process of oocyte cryopreservation, which is the technology of extracting a woman’s eggs (oocytes), freezing them and storing them.

What The Experts Say About Oocyte Vitrification (Egg Vitrification)

In Autumn 2009 the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM)issued an opinion on oocyte cryopreservation concluding that the science holds “great promise for applications in oocyte donation and fertility preservation” because recent laboratory modifications have resulted in improved oocyte survival, fertilization, and pregnancy rates from frozen-thawed oocytes in IVF. Dr. Elena Puente of Clinica Fertia commented that: “The results obtained so far are very good, so you can say that oocyte vitrification is a major breakthrough in the fight against infertility.”

Who May Wish To Avail Of Oocyte (Egg) Vitrification Work?

Egg vitrification offers a wonderful opportunity to women who wish to preserve their eggs for various reasons. Women who have been diagnosed with cancer or any disease which has an advised course of treatment which can damage their oocytes (eggs), can now choose oocyte vitrification to preserve their fertility. Women who wish to preserve fertility who are healthy but appreciate that their eggs will lose quality as they become older. These women may not have met the right partner, may not feel ready yet for motherhood, could be pursuing a career or can be in a same sex relationship and considering donor insemination at some stage in the future. Also some women who have a family history of early menopause or any other potential medical issues which means it would be pragmatic to use egg vitrification.

How Does Oocyte (Egg) Vitrification Work?

The oocyte vitrification technique reduces the temperature very quickly (23,000 degrees per minute), the egg transforms from a liquid to the vitreous. So what happens is that the eggs are frozen so quickly that ice crystals do not have time to form. As human eggs contain a lot of water, during freezing ice crystals can form and these can destroy the cell’s structure. This technique allows for the eggs to be frozen less aggressively and for much less time, which was not possible until recently. Vitrified oocytes are kept stored in liquid nitrogen for an indefinite period, until the couple/woman decides to use them.