Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
Vitrification of Ovarian Cortex Tissue to Achieve a Glassy State of Aggregation
Published on: August 9, 2024
Prospective randomized comparison of human oocyte cryopreservation with slow-rate freezing or vitrification
Gary D Smith1, Paulo C Serafini, Joyce Fioravanti
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Objective:
To compare cryopreservation of mature human oocytes with slow-rate freezing and vitrification and determine which is most efficient at establishing a pregnancy.
Design:
Prospective randomized.
Setting:
Academically affiliated, private fertility center.
Patient(S):
Consenting patients with concerns about embryo cryopreservation and more than nine mature oocytes at retrieval were randomized to slow-rate freezing or vitrification of supernumerary (more than nine) oocytes.
Intervention(S):
Oocytes were frozen or vitrified, and upon request oocytes were thawed or warmed, respectively.
Main Outcome Measure(S):
Oocyte survival, fertilization, embryo development, and clinical pregnancy.
Result(S):
Patient use has resulted in 30 thaws and 48 warmings. Women's age at time of cryopreservation was similar. Oocyte survival was significantly higher following vitrification/warming (81%) compared with freezing/thawing (67%). Fertilization was more successful in oocytes vitrified/warmed compared with frozen/thawed. Fertilized oocytes from vitrification/warming had significantly better cleavage rates (84%) compared with freezing/thawing (71%) and resulted in embryos with significantly better morphology. Although similar numbers of embryos were transferred, embryos resulting from vitrified oocytes had significantly enhanced clinical (38%) pregnancy rates compared with embryos resulting from frozen oocyte (13%). Miscarriage and/or spontaneous abortion rates were similar.
Conclusion(S):
Our results suggest that vitrification/warming is currently the most efficient means of oocyte cryopreservation in relation to subsequent success in establishing pregnancy.
