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Freezing of unfruited eggs

In fertility treatment, you can freeze

  • sperm

  • Unfruited eggs

  • Frozen eggs

They are stored at -196 degrees Celsius until you need them. At this temperature all biological processes are stopped.

It has long been possible to freeze and subsequently use sperm cells (since the 1950s) and fertilized eggs (since the 1980s) in fertility treatment.

Freezing of fertilized Eggs can be made with both 'slow freeze' technology and vitrification technology that differ from each other in terms of concentration of so-called cryoprotectants and freezing rate.

Freezing of unfertilized Eggs have been tried since the 1980s, but only in recent years has been found a method that provides satisfactory pregnancy results. The method is an optimization of the so-called vitrification technique. Here, high concentrations of cryoprotectants are used which reduce the formation of ice crystals in the cells. In addition, the eggs are frozen at an ultra high speed. When you have had such good results in freezing eggs in recent years, it is probably because the containers in which the eggs are placed have been further developed, so the freezing rate has been faster.

How is freezing and thawing of unfruited eggs?

The woman is treated with hormones, so she matures more eggs than the one that usually matures in a cycle. These eggs are removed using a thin needle. If you choose to freeze the eggs, this should be done within 2 hours of egg-laying: The nutritional cells surrounding the egg are removed and the mature eggs are suitable for freezing. You take an average of 8-10 eggs, and between 6-8 eggs will be mature and suitable for freezing.

The eggs are then placed briefly (a few minutes) in a liquid containing a cryoprotectant that displaces the water in the egg and protects it from damage caused by freezing. Immediately afterwards, place the egg in a small closed container placed in liquid nitrogen, which is -196 degrees Celsius.

When the eggs are to be used, they are taken up by the liquid nitrogen and placed in liquid with low levels of cryoprotectant, whereby the cryoprotectant is removed from the eggs and replaced with water.

One to two hours after this thawing, the egg can then be inseminated with a sperm cell at the microinsemination technique (ICSI). Reagentia fertilization (IVF) is not possible on eggs where nutrients have been removed. Then, the fertilized egg is developed for 2 to 5 days, after which it is best developed in the uterus as in normal IVF and ICSI treatment. The evaluation of the fertilized egg development is based on observation under the microscope, where cell deletions are followed and evaluated based on, among other things, the rate of distribution and the size of cells. For example, it is optimal that the egg 42-44 hours after the insemination has divided 2 times so that it has evolved into 4 cells of one's size.

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Who can get frozen unfruited eggs?

Currently there are several Danish fertility clinics that introduce freezing of eggs in their treatment facilities. Freezing of eggs will be current in the following situations:

  • It happens that on the date of egg collection there are no useful sperm cells to inseminate the eggs. Here the freezing of the eggs will allow the eggs to be used later, where practice has so far been the destruction of the eggs.

  • If many eggs have been taken out, the couple may choose to use, for example, 8 of the eggs in the current treatment and freeze the rest for later use.

  • In egg donation, a freezing of donor eggs will be a major advantage in terms of planning, as the logistics with sync of donor and recipient will be facilitated. Likewise, it will be significantly more patient-friendly, as the recipient's hormone treatment can be limited to a current planned treatment.

It is thus not possible today in Denmark to receive freezing of eggs to later use them when you have a pregnancy wish - so-called social freezing. However, this rule is dispensed with when egg freezing is done in women who are at risk of losing their fertility due to illness or treatment for disease - such as chemotherapy.

What are the pregnancy chances of freezing / thawing unfruited eggs?

In Europe, Italy and Spain have been pioneers in introducing freezing of unprocessed eggs in connection with childlessness treatment. In recent years, the technique has proven to be well-functioning both on eggs from young egg donors and on eggs from women in fertility treatment. Several of the clinics have even chosen in their treatment to freeze the eggs after the ovulation, to first thaw them and inseminate them in a subsequent natural cycle, where the woman's womb is not affected by hormone stimulation, as some studies have proved to be an advantage.

The results of freezing unfruited eggs and subsequently thawing them up and fertilizing them are about as good as those obtained with regular IVF and ICSI treatment using fresh eggs and sperm. When performing IVF and ICSI treatment, on average every fourth treatment results in the birth of a child. The same success rate is seen by using frozen unfruited eggs. Converted to the number of eggs used after obtaining a pregnancy with the birth of a child, an average of between 30 and 40 eggs must be present.

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How long must sperm and egg be frozen?

According to the Act on Infertility Treatment, sperm, unfruited and fertilized eggs must be frozen in connection with infertility treatment for up to 5 years. This means that the material must be used within 5 years of the freezing date. If this is not the case, the frozen material will be destroyed. However, it is possible if the clinic has an approval from the scientific ethics committee that the couples can donate the material for research after the 5 years.

Read more about CHILDREN / FERTILITY TREATMENT

  • Freezing of fertilized eggs

  • Treatment with donor eggs

  • Rules and legislation on fertility treatment in Denmark

  • What causes can there be reduced fertility in the woman?
  • SEE OVERVIEW OF ALL ARTICLES ON CHILDREN / MATERIAL TREATMENT
Freezing of unfruited eggs

FAQ - 💬

❓ Does it ruin eggs to freeze them?

👉 When raw eggs freeze, the liquid inside expands, which can cause the shells to crack. As a result, the contents of the egg can spoil and are at risk of bacterial contamination (3, 4 ). Additionally, freezing raw, shelled eggs can negatively affect the texture, as the egg yolks become thick and gel-like.

❓ How much does freezing an egg cost?

👉 The cost of egg freezing in the U.S. Medications are typically around $3,000 to $6,000, depending on how much your body needs. Storage is an additional cost of $700-$1,000 a year. If you need to go through more than one cycle most clinics offer a discount for purchasing multiple cycles upfront.

❓ At what age should you freeze your eggs?

👉 "Studies suggest that women who freeze their eggs before age 35 have a better chance of a successful pregnancy than those who freeze their eggs after age 35." This is because the more eggs retrieved and frozen, the better the chance of a successful pregnancy.

❓ What is the success rate of freezing eggs?

👉 In general 6 out of 8 eggs will survive the freezing and thawing process. Of these 6 eggs the chance of a live birth is somewhere between 32% and 18% depending on the age of the woman at the time she freezes her eggs.

❓ What do I need to know about freezing my eggs?

👉 Unlike with fertilized egg freezing (embryo cryopreservation), egg freezing doesn't require sperm because the eggs aren't fertilized before they're frozen. Just as with embryo freezing, however, you'll need to use fertility drugs to make you ovulate so that you'll produce multiple eggs for retrieval.

❓ How do you prepare eggs for freezing?

👉 8 Lifestyle Tips to Boost Fertility to Prepare for Egg Freezing

  1. 1/ Eat For Omega-3s.
  2. 2/ Moderate Alcohol Intake.
  3. 3/ Moderate Your Caffeine Intake.
  4. 4/ Sleep Soundly.
  5. 5/ Consider Supplementation.
  6. 6/ Exercise Smart, Not Hard.
  7. 7/ Oral Health.
  8. 8/ Reduce Your Cortisol Levels.

❓ Is it worth freezing eggs at 39?

👉 Paccione says the fertility clinic her practice works with recommends freezing 15 to 20 mature eggs. For women age 39 and 40, they recommend freezing 25 to 30 mature eggs. (Egg freezing is not recommended for women over 40 because too few of the eggs are likely to be genetically normal.)

❓ How many eggs should I freeze at 35?

👉 10 eggsIf you are 35, you should aim to freeze at least 10 eggs. One egg freezing cycle resulted in 12 eggs frozen on average for this age group. So many women only needed to do one cycle of egg freezing to achieve the optimal egg number!

❓ Is it worth freezing eggs at 40?

👉 But a reproductive endocrinologist (infertility specialist) can provide testing to see if you're a good candidate. β€œFreezing eggs after the age of 40 is not typically recommended but may be considered on a case-by-case basis,” says Cross.

❓ Is 38 too old to freeze eggs?

👉 Egg freezing typically works best for those in their 20s to early 30s, and is not usually recommended for women over 38 years.

❓ How long does the egg freezing process take?

👉 10 to 14 daysOne typical egg-freezing cycle can range from 10 to 14 days. During that time you'll be attending doctor appointments almost daily to make sure your eggs are maturing correctly.

❓ Can you freeze eggs?

👉 Freezing eggs might seem unconventional, but they actually hold up incredibly well in the freezer. The only trick is how you freeze them. Here’s what you need to know. Eggs freeze well, but you want to take them out of their shell first. That’s because when frozen in the shell, the shells can crack as the liquid inside freezes and expands.

❓ How do you freeze a whole egg white?

👉 If freezing in ice cube trays, pour the whites into the tray, cover with aluminum foil, and flash freeze for a few hours or overnight. Remove frozen cubes and pack them into a freezer bag. 6. Seal the container tightly. 7. Label the package with the freezing date and amount.

❓ What happens if you freeze egg yolks?

👉 Also, when frozen as is, the texture of the yolk changes and becomes thick and gummy. Instead, for successful long-term storage, your best bet is to either freeze whole, lightly beaten eggs, or freeze the yolks and whites separately.

❓ Why would I want to freeze my eggs before IVF?

👉 You're undergoing in vitro fertilization. When undergoing in vitro fertilization, some people prefer egg freezing to embryo freezing for religious or ethical reasons. You wish to preserve younger eggs now for future use. Freezing eggs at a younger age might help you get pregnant when you're ready.


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