ASRM Lifts Experimental Label on Egg Freezing
Egg freezing was once considered an experimental technique by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM). Today, ASRM has lifted the experimental label. This follows after research on nearly 1,000 cases shows not only similar success rates to IVF procedures using frozen eggs compared to fresh eggs, but also no increase in chromosomal abnormalities, birth defects or developmental deficits in children born using cryopreserved or frozen eggs.
What Makes Something Experimental?
“I think anything that is new until it is proven probably deserves an experimental tag because we need to show we can produce consistently good results. It takes time to accrue that data,” explains Shady Grove Fertility physician, Gilbert L. Mottla, MD.
Dr. Mottla goes on to say, “We are very pleased that over the years we have shown high success rates and pregnancy rates from thawed eggs. This has become a very mainstream endeavor and we are pleased that the ASRM has validated that effort.”
Why Was Egg Freezing Considered Experimental and Embryo Freezing Not?
Robert J. Stillman, MD, Shady Grove Fertility’s Medical Director explains, “Due to their structure, eggs are much more sensitive and less resilient to the effects of freezing compared to embryos” With older freezing techniques, it was difficult for eggs to survive the freezing process. Now, with vitrification, both eggs and embryos are able to be frozen and thawed with a much higher rate of success.
Shady Grove Fertility & Egg Freezing
In 1997, SGF’s Lab Director, Michael Tucker, was the first to freeze an egg and deliver a baby in the United States. Since then there has been efforts to improve the freezing and thawing process and the big breakthrough came a few years ago with vitrification.
Shady Grove Fertility began vitrifying embryos and eggs in 2009. As a result, success rates for frozen embryo transfers has increased to a level that is now equal with fresh IVF cycles. “Our experience over the last several years of egg freezing, along with the few other centers nationwide doing vitrification finding similar results, helped lead the ASRM committee to lift the experimental label,” comments Dr. Stillman.
So whether you are considering donor egg from a frozen egg bank or freezing your own eggs to preserve your fertility for later due to cancer or advancing age, patients can have more options. They can be more confident moving forward with egg freezing now that vitrification is a proven technology that has been tested and vetted at Shady Grove Fertility and across other centers nationwide.
To learn more about Shady Grove Fertility’s Center for Fertility Preservation and egg freezing call 1-877-411-9292.
