Oocyte vitrification technology has made egg-sharing donation easier in China

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Cryobiology
• Human Embryology

Background:

• Oocyte cryopreservation is crucial for assisted reproductive technologies.
• Egg-sharing donation programs offer a potential solution for infertility.
• Vitrification has emerged as a preferred method for oocyte cryopreservation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of oocyte vitrification within an egg-sharing donation program.
• To assess the outcomes of using cryopreserved oocytes in recipients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
• To determine pregnancy, implantation, and live birth rates associated with donated vitrified oocytes.

Main Methods:

• Recruitment of 47 egg-sharing donors post-normal delivery.
• Vitrification and subsequent warming of 395 surplus oocytes.
• Insemination of warmed oocytes using ICSI for 75 recipients.
• Monitoring of oocyte survival, fertilization, cleavage, implantation, and clinical pregnancy rates.

Main Results:

• Oocyte survival rate after warming was 83.0%.
• Fertilization and cleavage rates were 83.8% and 89.8% respectively, post-ICSI.
• Clinical pregnancy and implantation rates were 42.3% and 25.5% respectively, among 71 recipients completing treatment.
• Live births resulted in normal birthweights with no observed birth defects.

Conclusions:

• Oocyte vitrification is a highly effective method for egg-sharing donation.
• The program demonstrated acceptable pregnancy and implantation rates.
• Vitrified oocytes can lead to healthy live births, supporting the viability of this donation model.