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Oocyte Cryopreservation and the Development of Frozen Human "Egg Banks"
Recent advances in the In Vitro Fertilization process have now allowed us
to successfully freeze, store and later thaw and fertilize cryopreserved
human eggs. This new advance in the field of assisted reproductive technologies
provides yet another valuable tool to aid in the management of couples struggling
to overcome problems with infertility. While we have enjoyed excellent pregnancy
rates for some time utilizing frozen and later thawed human embryos, our
new ability to store unfertilized human eggs allows many new techniques and
resources to be developed.
Employing techniques developed from years of worldwide cryobiology research,
our team and others are now reporting the successful cryopreservation and
subsequent thaw and fertilization of human oocytes, followed by the successful establishment
of healthy human pregnancy. Employing intracytoplasmic sperm
injection (ICSI) to aid the fertilization of frozen oocytes, a 50% oocyte
survival rate, an 80% fertilization rate and a 37% embryo development rate
is obtainable.
As a result, we are now able to offer on a limited basis, the availability
of frozen donor eggs from healthy, screened and tested donors to infertility
patients that may benefit from this service. The group of patients likely
to utilize such donated oocytes include those women with premature ovarian
failure, women over age 40 who have been unsuccessful in their attempts to
become pregnant with their own gametes, patients with genetically transmissible
conditions, post oophrectomy patients, women with Turner's syndrome and those
whose oocytes have been depleted following chemo or radiation therapy.
In addition, our increasing ability to successfully cryopreserve oocytes allows us to now offer
the option of oocyte freezing and storage to women concerned about preserving their own
fertility. This may be a viable option for women facing premature loss of their ovaries or their ovarian function
or for women concerned about advancing age and it's effect on their reproductive potential.
Harvesting and cryopreservation of eggs may also be considered by women dealing with
cervical, endometrial and breast cancer, as well as those facing systemic chemotherapy
or other therapy thought to be a threat to reproductive potential.
The future indeed looks bright for the cryopreservation of reproductive potential
in women at the Fertility Institutes.
Several of our "fresh" oocyte donors have provided eggs that have been frozen
for later selection by recipients.
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