Knowledge Sharing
2022.05.30
Why do you need to freeze embryos?
Embryo freezing is to freeze embryos in liquid nitrogen at -196°C and unfreeze for implantation when the patient is ready. This technology started in the 1980s. Dr. Johnson in Australia froze and unfroze the fertilized egg and implanted it into the patient. At the end of 1984, the first frozen baby was born, ever since this technology was frequently used in IVF treatment.
There are 2 main reasons for embryo freezing. First, the body status of the patient is not suitable for implantation at the moment, such as patients with PCOS, hormone problems and patients going to have cancer/ovary surgery. The other is due to patients’ family planning, such as limitations on the number of embryos that could be implanted, not being ready to have a baby and wanting to have a second baby in the future. And according to 《Assisted Reproduction Act》, although embryos can be freezed up to 10 years, we still suggest couples who have family plans to get ready as early as possible to avoid the high risk of being an advanced maternal age mother.
What are the differences between frozen embryos and fresh embryos? Which one has a higher success implantation rate?
The fertilized egg becomes a blastomere through cleavage, and turns into an embryo on the 3rd day. Embryos implanted at this stage are called fresh embryos. Embryo freezing is to culture multiple embryos at the same time and freeze the embryos with better quality.
Embryo freezing Q&A
What is the process of frozen embryo implantation? How long does it take?
The treatment of embryo freezing started on the day of egg and sperm retrieval until implantation has completed. If the patients’ menstruation period is regular and has been ovulating, they can choose to come back to the hospital to test for ovulation day on the 3rd~5th day of the period, and arrange for implantation 3~5 days after the ovulation day.
If the period is irregular, patients will have to take estrogen to increase the thickness of the endometrium until it reaches 8mm or above, then start taking progesterone for 3~5 days before implantation.
Choose LWH for embryo freezing
LWH is one of the earliest institutions around the world to perform vacuum extraction techniques, storing the blastocyst in -206° environment and eventually bringing a healthy IVF baby to life in 2000. With intelligent laboratory management, the team adopts the high-efficiency ‘vitrification freezing method’, which uses a high concentration of cryoprotectant to fastly dehydrate the embryos and dropping the temperature of the embryos at a high speed of about -2000°C per minute, freezing the embryos between liquid and solid states to avoid the formation of ice crystals in the large volume of water in embryonic cells, affecting the normal function of embryonic cells.
In addition, through the AI embryo selection system, the early development of embryos is combined with the AI deep learning module, and the "Artificial Intelligence Embryo Dynamic Image Analysis System" can predict the appearance quality and the score of chromosomal normality, combing with ‘W.S.T’ (Note 1) technology to freeze the best quality embryos and increase the success rate of implantation after defreezing.
*Note1
For overseas patients, please leave a message below or contact ivftaiwan@gmail.com
For patients in China, please add our official WeChat account of ivftaiwan01
For patients in Hong Kong and Macau, please contact ivftaiwan.hk@gmail.com
Any immediate or urgent inquiry, please dial +886-4-22347057 #1324
There are 2 main reasons for embryo freezing. First, the body status of the patient is not suitable for implantation at the moment, such as patients with PCOS, hormone problems and patients going to have cancer/ovary surgery. The other is due to patients’ family planning, such as limitations on the number of embryos that could be implanted, not being ready to have a baby and wanting to have a second baby in the future. And according to 《Assisted Reproduction Act》, although embryos can be freezed up to 10 years, we still suggest couples who have family plans to get ready as early as possible to avoid the high risk of being an advanced maternal age mother.
What are the differences between frozen embryos and fresh embryos? Which one has a higher success implantation rate?
The fertilized egg becomes a blastomere through cleavage, and turns into an embryo on the 3rd day. Embryos implanted at this stage are called fresh embryos. Embryo freezing is to culture multiple embryos at the same time and freeze the embryos with better quality.
Frozen embryo:
The waiting time is longer, but this could avoid overstimulating the ovary and the recovery time for the womb is more flexible.Fresh embryo:
The duration of treatment is shorter. There are chances of early luteinization that make embryos harder to implant.| Treatment Duration | Implantation rate | |
| Fresh embryo | about 2 months | 37.2% |
| Frozen embryo | implantation time is controllable | 39.8% |
Embryo freezing Q&A
Q: Who is suitable for implanting frozen embryos?
- Patients with larger amount of egg retrieved (more than 15 eggs), PCOS, and have higher risk of Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS)
- Patients with endometrium thickness less than 7mm or more than 15mm
- Patients have other diseases needing treatment, such as Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), Immune system, Endometriosis, etc.
- Family Planning
Q: Which cycle should I choose when implanting frozen embryos? Natural or Unnatural?
It depends. Clinically saying patients chose unnatural cycle (medication) more.Q: Will it affect embryo development after defreezing embryo?
The recovery rate of unfreezed embryos could reach 90%. The success rate of implantation and pregnancy is about the same as fresh embryos implantation. There is no clinical research showing that there is no difference in the chances of congenital genetic defect for babies born from frozen embryos and fresh embryos. So you don’t have to worry if embryo freezing could affect embryo development.Q: Does the quality of frozen embryos = success rate of implantation?
The quality of embryos doesn’t represent the normality of chromosomes. Even if the PGS shows normal results, we still have to take the structure of the womb and environment of the endometrium into account when evaluating whether it will affect implantation of embryos.What is the process of frozen embryo implantation? How long does it take?
The treatment of embryo freezing started on the day of egg and sperm retrieval until implantation has completed. If the patients’ menstruation period is regular and has been ovulating, they can choose to come back to the hospital to test for ovulation day on the 3rd~5th day of the period, and arrange for implantation 3~5 days after the ovulation day.
If the period is irregular, patients will have to take estrogen to increase the thickness of the endometrium until it reaches 8mm or above, then start taking progesterone for 3~5 days before implantation.
The process of frozen embryo implantation:
- Egg retrieval surgery and sperm collection
- Perform IVF
- Embryo culturing
- Embryo freezing
- Endometrium thickening (natural/by medication)
- Embryo defreezing and implanting
- Progesterone intake to stabilize the endometrium
Consult for embryo freezing:
Email: ivftaiwan@gmail.comChoose LWH for embryo freezing
LWH is one of the earliest institutions around the world to perform vacuum extraction techniques, storing the blastocyst in -206° environment and eventually bringing a healthy IVF baby to life in 2000. With intelligent laboratory management, the team adopts the high-efficiency ‘vitrification freezing method’, which uses a high concentration of cryoprotectant to fastly dehydrate the embryos and dropping the temperature of the embryos at a high speed of about -2000°C per minute, freezing the embryos between liquid and solid states to avoid the formation of ice crystals in the large volume of water in embryonic cells, affecting the normal function of embryonic cells.
In addition, through the AI embryo selection system, the early development of embryos is combined with the AI deep learning module, and the "Artificial Intelligence Embryo Dynamic Image Analysis System" can predict the appearance quality and the score of chromosomal normality, combing with ‘W.S.T’ (Note 1) technology to freeze the best quality embryos and increase the success rate of implantation after defreezing.
*Note1
W - Witness
Identical chipping in every process to record the couples’ information and the progress. Every embryo is tracked by an intelligent system and has its own embryologist.S - Spindle view
Using spindle view during sperm microinjection to avoid the spindle apparatus and implanting precisely to increase the success rate of implantation.T - Time-lapse
Monitoring the development of the embryos by taking an image every 10 minutes for 24 hours to document the whole process.For overseas patients, please leave a message below or contact ivftaiwan@gmail.com
For patients in China, please add our official WeChat account of ivftaiwan01
For patients in Hong Kong and Macau, please contact ivftaiwan.hk@gmail.com
Any immediate or urgent inquiry, please dial +886-4-22347057 #1324
