Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has made it possible to freeze and thaw embryos successfully. A lot of fertility patients who go through in vitro fertilization (VF) enjoy the extra benefits of fertility preservation through frozen embryos. Embryo vitrification is an effective technique of freezing the most potential embryos after an IVF, in order to be used in a later cycle. Although some patients may not have embryos available for freezing after an IVF cycle, those who have good ovarian reserve have an increased chance of freezing surplus embryos for future use.

Below are the major benefits of frozen embryos:

Offer Extra Cycle Opportunities

With frozen embryos, patients can have an increased success to get pregnant from a given retrieval. In case of a failed fresh transfer, frozen embryos are likely to offer the potential of trying again without taking ovarian stimulation medication or having egg retrieval. With vitrification technology, more and more patients are achieving live birth from one stimulated cycle.

Subsequent Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) Cycles are Less Costly

After a fresh IVF treatment cycle, patients spend less on subsequent FET cycles. The treatment costs are decreased because of fewer monitoring visits. Also, there is no need for egg retrieval, embryo culture, or insemination.

Freezing Embryos Overcomes the Negative Effect of Elevated Progesterone Levels

Progesterone levels are likely to elevate during the ovarian stimulation part of a treatment cycle. In case such level goes beyond a patient’s threshold, the doctor may recommend freezing all available embryos instead of proceeding with a fresh embryo transfer. Then, FET can be done in a cycle without stimulation medications.

Frozen Embryos can be Used for Genetic Testing

Couples who are at risk of passing some genetic disorders into their children can choose to have their embryos tested for certain genetic mutations. Once the eggs are retrieved and fertilized, an embryologist will perform a biopsy every suitable embryo on day five or six of development. While awaiting results from the test, the embryologist will freeze the embryos. This allows doctors to transfer just embryos that don’t possess the genetic mutation in question. Also, freezing embryos allows pre-implantation genetic screening meant to spot abnormalities in chromosome number that causes Down’s syndrome and other disorders that can lead to miscarriage or implantation failure.

Help Families Grow in the Future

Vitrified embryos maintain reproduction potential into the future. This offers patients the time to decide when to expand their families.