Cryopreservation of embryos in an IVF-ET program

To evaluate the use of cryopreservation of embryos in an in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) program.

Three cases of successful pregnancy after frozen-thawed embryo transfer were reviewed. The Testart's slow freezing and rapid thawing method was chosen.

The first case was a Turner's syndrome patient and her husband had azoospermia. Donated frozen-thawed embryo transfer was done after hormonal replacement therapy. Pregnancy was achieved and a normal baby was delivered. The other two cases of IVF-ET did not achieve pregnancy during the stimulated cycle but became pregnant with frozen-thawed embryos in the natural cycle 4-5 months later.

Pregnancy could be achieved in couples with incurable reproductive defects with donated embryos cryopreserved and ready for use whenever the endometrium is prepared by hormonal replacement therapy to be synchronous with the embryo development. In an IVF-ET program, one egg-retrieval may serve for many future chances of embryo transfer and therefore increase the cumulative pregnancy success rate.