Vitrification: a quick way to freeze embryos

For many infertile couples, we will be able to culture more high-quality embryos than will be needed in the given cycle. We recommend freezing those embryos that are not used right away. Reproductive cells or embryos can be stored this way for many years.

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An integral part of treatment

With an increasing emphasis on reducing the number of embryos for embryo transfer, vitrification is becoming an integral part of treatment, giving our patients a greater chance of success from a single stimulation. During subsequent cryo-embryo transfer, the risk of ovarian hyperstimulation and the need for general anaesthesia are eliminated. Costs for further procedures are also reduced.

When is vitrification suitable?

If the first IVF cycle is not successful, you will quickly have embryos at hand for another attempt
If you are planning another child in a few years and don’t want to undergo the process of egg retrieval again.
If you are planning another child, but one of the partners is scheduled for chemotherapy or radiotherapy and there’s a risk of becoming infertile.

Vitrification is a modern, safe method of freezing

We use vitrification at our clinic, which is a more modern method of cryopreservation. We use the closed Rapid-i system in which the embryo is not in direct contact with liquid nitrogen.

How does vitrification work?

The embryo is placed in a protective substance called a cryoprotectant
We rapidly cool the drop of cryoprotectant with the embryo to the temperature of liquid nitrogen, –196 degrees Celsius
No ice crystals will form in the protective substance or in the embryo
We store the embryo in a sealed container in liquid nitrogen
Before using the embryo, we quickly warm it to body temperature and wash away the protective substance
Transfer to the uterus can take place in a few hours

Experience of foreign experts

The first child in the world from a frozen embryo was born in Australia in 1984; the first Czech child from a frozen embryo was born in 1993. Back then, a slower cryopreservation technique was still being used.

However, when using vitrification, there is a much greater chance of the frozen embryo implanting optimally. The closed system of vitrification supports the embryo’s developmental competence and does not damage embryonic cells. A study evaluating embryos after 1 and 6 years of being frozen, confirmed that neither the duration of embryo survival nor the rate of pregnancy decreased.

The suitability of using a closed vitrification system for freezing eggs, their fertilisation and embryo development in clinical practice has also been demonstrated.

Contributions at specialised conferences, such as the meeting of the Japanese Society for Reproductive Medicine in 2011, confirmed that vitrification using the Rapid-i system is very successful.

Up to 95% of embryos can be used after thawing.

Study 1, Study 2, Study 3

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Other laboratory methods

ICSI

ICSI is the injection of sperm directly into an egg. This significantly increases the chance of fertilisation.

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EmbryoScope

We can increase the chances of pregnancy by selecting only the best quality embryos for transfer. We can identify these through continuous monitoring in EmbryoScope.

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PESA/MESA/TESE

In the absence of live sperm in the ejaculate, there is the possibility of obtaining sperm surgically from the epididymis (PESA or MESA) or testis (TESE).

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