Today, the most modern method of cryopreservation of embryos and ova is the vitrification method, which began in the late 1980s with the first children being born in the early 1990s and becoming increasingly popular. Prior to the Vitrification method being known, another method was used for this called slow freezing cryopreservation.
Vitrification is called the method of rapid cryopreservation of embryos and ova, in order to inhibit the metabolic processes of the cells and at the same time to prevent the formation of intracellular crystals (reason for unsuccessful thawing).
Eggs and embryos for vitrification are exposed to special cryoprotectants (substances that protect tissues from cell damage) and stored in special pads. They are then immersed directly in liquid nitrogen at -196 ° C where they are stored. Since the cells are protected during cryopreservation by crystallization, this means that they will have an equally successful thaw as the survival rates of the eggs and embryos are increased.
The method of vitrification has greatly contributed to maintaining fertility as every woman is now able to cryopreserve her own eggs, for any medical or social reason, in order to use them in the future without having any effect on their quality that could reduce the chances for success.
It is worth noting that Greece is in the third place across Europe in childbirths through the use of vitrification for freezing and thawing embryos and eggs. At Life Clinic we are using it as the ONLY method for egg and embryo freezing.
