Baton Rouge, New Orleans Embryo Cryopreservation Program

Not infrequently, more embryos result from an IVF cycle than can be safely placed back into the uterus. Placement of too many embryos can result in an unacceptably high rate of high order multiple births (greater than twins).

Embryos are carefully frozen and thawed by sequentially placing them in special media (solutions) whose purposes are to dehydrate or re-hydrate as gently as possible. Not all embryos will survive the freeze and thaw process. That is most likely related to the embryo quality at the time of freezing. Once frozen, embryos can remain viable for an indefinite length of time. Experience tells us that this time period is at least "years" as successful pregnancies have resulted from embryos that had been frozen for more than a decade. We currently store embryos for patients from Baton Rouge, LA, New Orleans and the surrounding regions.

Frozen embryos may be successfully used in future IVF cycles greatly reducing fertility treatment cost and risk to the patient. Ovulation induction using fertility medications is not necessary. The recipients cycle is synchronized with the age of the embryos at the time they were frozen. The embryos are transferred to the uterus in a painless procedure exactly the same as a fresh embryo transfer. IVF success rates with frozen embryos are somewhat lower than fresh embryos.

Cryopreservation of embryos should not be confused with freezing and thawing of eggs. Much research is underway to determine the best means to cryopreserve eggs. The eggs and their membranes are more delicate than embryos and contain a higher percentage of water. The main problem with egg freezing is prevention of the formation of ice crystals from water that was incompletely removed during dehydration. These ice crystals then disrupt the cytoskeletal structure of the egg destroying it.

We have a donor egg program serving Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and the surrounding regions. Donated eggs are used when a woman cannot use her own eggs due to age, ovarian disease, or serious health issues. Donated eggs are "retrieved fresh" and immediately combined with the husbands sperm. While the resultant eggs cannot be routinely and successfully frozen and thawed, any additional embryos resulting from the cycle can be frozen.

 

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