Egg storage

What does oocyte freezing involve?

Egg cells (oocytes), like embryos, are frozen by vitrification. This is the most modern and safest technique for freezing material. Cryoprotectors, or shielding compounds, whose role is to protect against low temperatures, are used during vitrification. As a result, they can be safely stored at very low temperatures of around -196ºC, i.e. in liquid nitrogen, and for very many years.

Is it safe to freeze oocytes?

The survival rate of frozen oocytes is high – up to 95% of previously frozen gametes survive.  This means that the prognosis in IVF is promising, as the number of egg cells that can be used for in vitro fertilisation is sufficiently high.

Is it safe to store oocytes?

The most important element to guarantee the Bank’s safety is adequate control of the liquid nitrogen level and temperature in the tanks containing the biological material. In addition to regular monitoring of the nitrogen tanks by embryologists, our Bank has an Octax Log & Guard system. This is a very modern safety system that constantly monitors the temperature in the material tanks and notifies the embryology team immediately of any changes. Thus, the safety of the material is at the highest possible level.

In which cases is oocyte freezing recommended?

Oocyte vitrification is recommended for patients prior to oncology therapy who are facing permanent loss of reproductive capacity, so-called Oncofertility.  Preserving fertility by freezing oocytes offers a real chance for women to experience pregnancy and childbirth after treatment has been completed.

Oocyte vitrification also has the advantage that the gametes do not age after freezing. Under natural conditions, the quality of the egg cells deteriorates over time and they become more susceptible to damage.  Once frozen, time stands still for the oocytes, allowing women to use them for IVF even several years after collection.