Vitrification — ultra-rapid freezing

In fertility treatment the stages do not always happen at the same time. An egg, a sperm or an embryo may be ready today while the transfer or the rest of the treatment takes place later. In those circumstances, preserving the quality of these cells matters a great deal.

Vitrification, or ultra-rapid freezing, is one of the most advanced methods of storing eggs, sperm and embryos. It is carried out at very high speed so that the structure of the cells is preserved as far as possible and treatment can continue in the future.

At Taban Fertility Center this technology is used to store cells and embryos safely, in accordance with scientific standards and the particular circumstances of each patient.

What is vitrification?

Unlike older methods in which freezing was carried out slowly, vitrification freezes cells in a very short space of time.

That speed keeps the likelihood of ice crystals forming inside the cells to a minimum. This matters, because such crystals can damage the structure of a cell.

For that reason vitrification has become one of the standard methods in advanced fertility centres.

Where is it used?

At Taban vitrification is used in several parts of treatment, including:

Egg freezing

Embryo freezing

Sperm freezing, according to the type of sample and the circumstances of treatment

Preserving an embryo until it is ready for transfer

Storing reproductive cells for future use

Each of these is coordinated with the patient's treatment plan and the physician's judgement.

Why does the quality of freezing matter?

Freezing is not the end of a treatment; it is its continuation at another time.

The purpose of vitrification is that a cell or an embryo can continue the natural course of treatment after thawing. That is why the freezing stage is not the only thing that matters: correct thawing, reassessment and preparation for the treatment ahead are part of the same process.

At Taban every stage of freezing and thawing is carried out by the embryology team according to standard protocols, so that storage and recovery are managed with care.

Does freezing reduce the quality of cells?

This is one of the concerns patients raise most often.

Vitrification is designed to preserve the quality of cells and embryos as well as possible, but like any method the final result depends on several factors: the initial quality of the egg, sperm or embryo, the patient's medical circumstances and the way the laboratory stages are carried out.

For that reason the experience of the embryology team, as much as the equipment, plays an important part in the quality of this process.

Technology alongside experience

The speed of freezing is only part of the work. Choosing the right moment to freeze, following each stage precisely, storing correctly and carrying out the thaw properly all depend on the knowledge and skill of the laboratory team.

At Taban Fertility Center vitrification is used alongside the experience of the embryology team, so that cells and embryos are preserved in the best possible condition for the treatment ahead.