Biological Clock 

One of the most significant developments in the field of assisted reproductive technology is successful cryopreservation of unfertilized human eggs.  Because of their unique and delicate characteristics, freezing human eggs has proven to be a frustrating challenge for the past two decades.   In the early years, most research focused on the same traditional “slow freezing” method that has been practiced successfully for cryopreservation of human embryos (fertilized eggs) for decades.  Unfortunately this method proved far from ideal for unfertilized eggs.  Over the last several years a “rapid freezing” technique known as vitrification has proven to be a far more successful method of cryopreservation.  Experimenting with many different cryoprotectant combinations and protocols has led to better understanding of what it takes to reliably freeze,  thaw and fertilize human eggs without compromising their reproductive potential.
 
Vitrification is a rapid freezing technique that prevents formation of water crystals during the freezing process. Water crystals are a major cause of cell damage during the cryopreservation process. Vitrification also minimizes chemical toxicity by exposing the eggs to the cryoprotectants for a much shorter duration. Many scientific studies have confirmed that vitrified eggs survive and retain reproductive capabilities better than those that have been cryopreserved using the conventional slower technique.
 
Currently at RMANJ, healthy eggs from young women have shown over 90% survival after vitrification and thawing, and retain excellent reproductive potential.  Pregnancy rates are almost comparable to those using frozen embryos. There are several valuable clinical applications for egg cryopreservation through vitrification, such as fertility preservation for delaying childbearing, before chemotherapy or radiation for cancer patients, and for banking of donor oocytes. This program is for women between the ages of 21 and 39 years old who are not ready for childbearing at the present time.