Fertility preservation encompasses techniques used to preserve reproductive potential in women and men. Through gamete cryopreservation, individuals can preserve their reproductive options for the future.
By the time a woman reaches her thirties, her ovarian reserve, which consists of approximately 2 million oocytes at birth, has fallen to around 30,000. With age, not only does the number of oocytes decrease, but their quality also declines, which can make it more difficult to achieve a full-term pregnancy.
TECHNIQUES
The alternatives for preserving fertility include sperm freezing and egg vitrification.
This technique allows for the preservation of a woman’s eggs for future use. Thanks to this treatment, a woman can decide the best time to start her family.
This cryopreservation technique allows sperm samples to be stored for future use while helping to preserve their fertilisation potential. Samples can be stored for long periods for use in future assisted reproduction treatments.
There are various personal, professional and financial circumstances that may lead people to postpone parenthood. Prioritising one's professional career, the absence of a partner, or economic instability are some of the most common reasons.
Cryopreservation is the most commonly used technique in fertility preservation. In cryopreservation, gametes and embryos are frozen at an ultra-rapid rate using a process known as vitrification.
This technique transforms cells and the surrounding fluids into a glass-like substance.
FIND ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS
For women, fertility preservation is generally more effective when eggs are frozen at a younger age, because egg quantity and quality decline over time.
There is no single maximum age for sperm cryopreservation, although some semen parameters and reproductive outcomes may gradually change with paternal age. Individual assessment is recommended in both cases.
Eggs or sperm are frozen and stored for potential future use. This procedure may be an option for people who wish to preserve their fertility for medical or personal reasons, such as before undergoing certain medical treatments or when choosing to postpone parenthood.
Cryopreservation allows eggs and sperm to be stored for long periods for potential use in future assisted reproduction treatments. If you do not wish to use them, they can be donated to other patients or for research.
The chances of success depend on factors such as age at the time of cryopreservation, the number and quality of the gametes stored, the laboratory methods used and the future treatment required.
For vitrified oocytes, survival after warming is only one part of the process and does not by itself predict fertilisation, pregnancy or live birth. IVF-Life provides an individual prognosis after clinical assessment.
PATIENTS