Fertility preservation
(cryopreservation of oocytes, sperm and embryos)
|
|
It is applicable in cases of serious illness, such as cancer, where treatment (e.g. chemotherapy, surgery, etc) may cause permanent damage to gametes.
Some women, as well as men, may consider fertiilty preservation for social reasons when, at the age of 30 – 35 for example, they do not intend to start a family and they wish to “stop their biological clock”.
Oocyte cryopreservation involves collecting eggs during a natural (no drugs) cycle or following ovarian stimulation and cryopreserving them. When the patient wishes to use her oocytes, they may be thawed and fertilized. A normally fertlized egg will give rise to an embryo which, once transferred to the uterus, may result in a pregnancy. The chances of conception are proportional to the age of the oocytes (i.e. the age of the patient when the oocytes were cryopreserved). Any good quality supernumery embryos can be frozen and used in a future cycle.Men, about to undergo cancer treatment, can also preserve their fertility. Surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy may affect sperm quality and production either temporarily or permanently. Therefore, before initiating treatment, semen is cryopreserved and kept indefinitely, until needed.
News
After 16 years of trying to have a baby, our dream became reality!
Irini - Babis
Edessa 25/1/2012
