Embryo vitrification is a rapid freezing process used for cryopreserving human and animal embryos. It involves adding a cryoprotectant and immersing the embryo in liquid nitrogen to prevent ice crystal formation. Vitrified embryos can be stored until needed and have a higher chance of survival during thawing and implantation. Success rates vary among clinics and may be affected by storage conditions and technology advances.
Embryo vitrification is a cryopreservation process available for human embryos to allow parents to store them for future use. This technique involves very rapid freezing to preserve the integrity of the cellular structure and limit damage to the embryo. As long as it is stored under optimal conditions, its chances of surviving the thaw cycle for implantation into a donor may be better than with other freezing methods. Fertility clinics may offer this option to their patients, and it is also available for non-human animals such as horses, where embryo preservation can be used to facilitate the distribution of a bloodline.
This process begins with an IVF procedure, in which a harvested egg cell from a woman is matched with donor sperm. Several eggs can be fertilized and monitored as they develop to determine which ones develop into viable embryos. Couples can request the immediate implantation of one or more embryos and can request the vitrification of the embryos to freeze the others for use at another time. This may allow them to try again if the first implant fails or to have access to fertilized embryos after cancer treatment or other procedures render a partner infertile.
A lab technician adds a cryoprotectant to the embryo and then freezes it in liquid nitrogen by abruptly immersing it. This differs from older methods, in which the embryos were frozen slowly after undergoing several cycles of cryoprotectant baths to eliminate residual water in the cells. Vitrifying embryos involves freezing so rapidly that ice crystals have no chance to form, which limits the risk of damage to the cells. The term “vitrification” is a nod to the lack of crystals, as it refers to a glass-like state in which individual crystals are not allowed to develop.
Frozen embryos can be stored in containers of liquid nitrogen until they are needed or couples decide to donate or discard them. After the vitrification of the embryos, a technician can carefully increase the temperature to thaw one or more embryos for implantation. They will be allowed to divide and grow in vitro to confirm that they have successfully made it through the freezing process and are more likely to do well after implantation.
Success is not guaranteed with embryo vitrification. Many things can go wrong during the process, especially during freezing and thawing, or while the embryos are in storage. Patients may ask a clinic about its success rate, but they should be aware that advances in technology can happen quickly and can make statistics obsolete. Some facilities use proprietary methods that are unique to their laboratories and may not be available through other health care providers.
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