The Technique of Embryo freezing
The freezing of embryos is not a single-step process. It requires multiple steps. The steps are mentioned and described below.
1. Egg retrieval
Hormonal injections are prescribed to a woman for about 8 to 10 days. It helps to develop multiple mature eggs in the ovaries of that woman. A short procedure is carried on so that the eggs can be retrieved. This is known as Ovum Pickup. Twilight anesthesia is required for the surgery and there are minimal side effects of it.
2. Insemination
Fertilization of the egg must take place with the sperm so that it can become an embryo. The sperm can be from a sperm donor or a partner. A petri dish is required during the insemination process. The egg generally develops for five to seven days till the egg reaches eight days, which is the blastocyst stage.
The number of embryos that are retrieved and can be frozen is based on the age of the couple and the couple itself. The maximum embryos reach the stage of blastocyst when the woman is not more than 35 years of age. In that case, normally 50% of the embryos reach the blastocyst stage. But the number decreases when the couple is older.
3. Genetic testing
PGD or Preimplantation genetic testing is opted by couples to test the embryos whether they have any genetic abnormalities or not. It includes muscular dystrophy, cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease, etc. This testing is crucial in the case of one parent who is a carrier of one or a few genetic conditions. The process of PGD helps to prevent genetic conditions in future babies.
4. Embryo freezing
The embryo goes through the process of Cryopreservation. Water in the cell is replaced by a substance known as cryoprotectant. Embryos are further left to incubate in the cryoprotectant increasing levels before the freezing starts. The embryos are cooled in their preservation stage after this.
The Doctors Then Use one of the Two Freezing Procedures to Freeze the Embryos:
* Slow-freezing – Sealed tubes are used to place the embryos and further the
temperatures are lowered. Aging is prevented by this procedure and the chances of damage are
also reduced. This process is time-consuming and also requires the use of some expensive
machines.
* Vitrification – The cryoprotected embryos freeze in this procedure so
quickly that the molecules of water do not get enough time to form crystals of ice. The
embryos are protected and their chances of survival increase during thawing.
When the process completes, doctors opt for storing the embryos with the help of liquid nitrogen. The main intention is to use them in the future.
Are Frozen Embryos Alive?
Several stages are needed for an embryo to develop. The development process starts when there
is only one cell till it reaches the blastocyst stage after a few days. The size of the
cells remains the same but the cells within are more in number.
But in the case of frozen embryos, no one is aware of how long it will be alive. They do
not grow further as kept in liquid nitrogen and stored later on.
Who Can Be Benefitted?
Frozen embryos prove to be beneficial to a large number of people. It is a great option for
certain groups. Some of them are:
* People who have issues with genetic disorders and that can affect the reproduction process.
* The ones who will undergo the process of chemotherapy.
* People whose fertility is affected by certain drugs.
* Individuals of same-sex and LGBTQ+ individuals who will have children.
* People who have an advanced age of reproduction and does not will to have a baby at that particular time may also get the advantage of freezing the embryos for future use
The time for freezing embryos and how long will they be usable
According to reports, a frozen embryo can be viable for any time span. They remain in containers that are sealed at temperatures around -321 degrees. Temperatures like this will prevent the embryos from aging also. There will be no biological process that can be processed during this time.
According to reports, there are also cases of successful pregnancy that resulted from the eggs that have been stored even up to 10 years. There is no research on freezing the embryos because the procedure itself started in 1983.
There are certain rules and regulations of a country. Some countries make it a point that the embryos cannot be stored for more than a specific time period. The process of freezing the embryos and storing them is expensive and every clinic has its own set of rules. The rules are also for the fact that what will happen to the embryos in the future.
Embryo Freezing: Pro’s and Con’s
The most important factor and the advantage of frozen embryos are eggs can be stored safely at that time when they are the most viable and healthy. This will allow you to use the egg when you have decided to start a family and the eggs have the best health which will increase the chances of successful fertilization and also a healthy pregnancy.
The process of vertification is carried out by evaluating the harvested eggs for checking the quality and the health of the eggs. The water is removed from the healthy eggs and adding cryoprotectant helps to reduce the chances of damage. The eggs are stored at the lowest temperature.
The process is very delicate and allows the eggs to stay healthy so that it can be used when
needed later.But there are few disadvantages of the procedure too which are not serious.
The eggs are harvested by the process of traditional IVF protocol. Fertility drugs are used
during the process so that multiple eggs can be matured.
The goal is just to have the maximum of eggs harvested and stored for future use. But there
are various side effects of the fertility drugs as well.
