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Fertility Preservation pp 89–105Cite as

Oocyte Cryopreservation

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Abstract

Since the 1940s, the cryopreservation field has been deeply studied in order to increase the number of options available for human reproductive technologies. Initially, sperm cells were the only type to be preserved due to their size and high number available; these characteristics made the task relatively easy. Later on, with the advances made in the laboratories, embryo freezing became an available option in in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics. In 1983, the first pregnancy was obtained from a cryopreserved embryo [1] and provided an important new option, influencing daily practice in the field of reproductive medicine. Consequently, the number of multiple pregnancies was significantly reduced and in the event that pregnancy was not achieved with a fresh cycle, cryopreserved embryos could be used in subsequent cycles without the need to undergo a new stimulation cycle. The overall efficiency was definitely improved. This new success pushed the clinicians further and the investigation on oocyte cryopreservation started. Initially, outcomes were not very encouraging, mainly because of the particular features of the oocyte compared to sperm or embryos. The oocyte, especially in the human, has unique composition in term of water content, membrane stability and intracellular structures. All of these characteristics made it very difficult to cryopreserve oocytes and for many years clinical applications have not been routinely adopted. The low survival rates and objectionable developmental competence of oocytes initially obtained after cryopreservation suggest that this technique could not be safely applied to patients. Moreover, the good results obtained with embryo cryopreservation were satisfying enough to limit research in the area of oocyte freezing for many years.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Tecnobios Procreazione Centre for Reproductive Health, Via Dante 15, 40125, Bologna, Italy

    Andrea Borini MD (Clinical and Scientific Director)

  2. Tecnobios Procreazione Centre for Reproductive Health, Bologna, Italy

    Veronica Bianchi PhD (Senior Embryologist)

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  1. Andrea Borini MD
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  2. Veronica Bianchi PhD
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Correspondence to Andrea Borini MD .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. School of Medicine, Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, Yale University, Cedar St. 333, New Haven, 06510, Connecticut, USA

    Emre Seli

  2. , Director, Center for Reproductive, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, 44195, Ohio, USA

    Ashok Agarwal

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Borini, A., Bianchi, V. (2012). Oocyte Cryopreservation. In: Seli, E., Agarwal, A. (eds) Fertility Preservation. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1783-6_8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1783-6_8

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