Embryo cryopreservation

From the fertility booklet The A.R.T. of Fertility: A patient guide
by the Fertility Center of Miami

The number of eggs harvested often present the opportunity to produce more embryos than can be transferred at one time. Couples have the option to freeze (cryopreserve) and store these extra embryos for future use, in the event that the cycle of treatment should fail or additional children are desired. The use of cyopreserved embryos eliminates the need for another egg retrieval and the use of gonadotropins. The frozen embryos are transferred after conditioning the uterus in a cycle of treatment called frozen embryo transfer. Pregnancy rates with the use of cyopreserved embryos are approximately half of that of a “fresh” IVF cycle.

Couples wishing to participate in the cyopreservation program can store their embryos for 1 year with an option to renew for another year. Thereafter, patients must make arrangements to transfer the embryos to a long term storage facility.