Fresh and frozen eggs – what’s better?
There is not always an opportunity to use fresh, not frozen eggs during IVF program. Advertising articles assures us vitrification or eggs’ freezing is a modern technique that allows specialists to save eggs and postpone indefinitely fertilization process. But what is the quality of biological material after it’s unfreezing?
Today European states where IVF is allowed actively use frozen eggs which they often buy in other countries. Egg donation is allowed not anywhere. And if it is legal there are not too many those wishing to share their cells. Therefore Europe buys donor eggs, for example, in Ukraine. There such procedures are clearly defined in the local legislation, and there are many young healthy women ready to give their eggs for certain fee.
But rather important question arises – is needed eggs’ quality saved after unfreezing, and will programs be successful using frozen material? Representative of American community of Reproductive Medicine states: “Although analysis of literature shows that cryopreservation technique is effective for women who need it for medical reasons we cannot use it widely to plan pregnancy”.
In fact there is still doubt. Female germ cells are large and contain water. So after their cooling (in particular, freezing) crystals are formed and distort integrity of gametes. As a result, due to cell homeostasis disturbance most part of biological material cannot be used for fertilization. Also there can be cells’ defects which are not visible during transplantation. Such degeneration of genetic material can significantly affect health condition of children in future.
In spite the fact Ukraine is a third world country, Ukrainian clinics have rather high success rate of IVF programs. That is because doctors there use only fresh eggs conducting in vitro fertilization. Results speak for themselves. According to the statistics – IVF with frozen eggs: 70% negative result, 28,6% failure pregnancy after 15 days, 1,4 % successful pregnancy; IVF with fresh eggs: 34% negative result, 15 % failure pregnancy after 15 days, 51 % successful pregnancy.
Center for Human Reproduction BioTexCom brings to life dream of child of thousands infertile couples from all over the world. They come to Kiev medical center and get desired result conducting a minimum number of attempts. Fresh eggs is key to success, – says doctor of the center. Embryologist of BioTexCom clinic notes: “I realize that thousands of patients place their fates in my hands. It can be said I create infertile couples’ happiness and their future children. I always remember this fact and realize my great responsibility. Entering embryology unit I understand that new life now depends on me and my work. People come to us from around the world and usually they visit our clinic after numerous unsuccessful attempts and being in do-or-die condition. Working in the laboratory, I select only the highest quality, healthy, fresh eggs for the program. As a result we reach positive result relatively quickly”.
