Fertility preservation

What is fertility preservation?

Fertility preservation refers to freezing eggs, sperm or embryos and storing them for future fertility use (cryopreservation). When needed, the frozen eggs, sperm or embryos can be thawed and used in IVF fertility treatment programs. Dr. Chen and his colleagues at Onegin are world leaders in fertility preservation technology.

Egg freezing

To freeze eggs (oocytes), drugs are used to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs, which are then retrieved and frozen until they are thawed and used when the woman or couple needs IVF.

Embryo freezing

Before starting the freezing procedure, an embryologist at the Fertility Center's clinical laboratory will fertilize the woman's eggs with her partner's sperm, culture the resulting embryos for 3 to 5 days, let them grow (the same steps as IVF), and then freeze them until the couple wants to use these frozen embryos for the final step of IVF (transplanting the embryos into the woman's uterus).

Sperm freezing

Men can provide sperm samples for cryopreservation through natural means. If there are no sperm in the semen sample or the man is unable to ejaculate, sperm retrieval surgery may be necessary.

When is fertility preservation necessary?

The most urgent need to preserve fertility is before cancer treatment. Both chemotherapy and radiation therapy may damage fertility or cause infertility by affecting reproductive cells or tissues. Women with other diseases whose treatment will reduce fertility should also consider fertility preservation.

Other reasons for preserving fertility include lifestyle, social or occupational factors.

Risks of Fertility Preservation

The technology for freezing eggs, sperm and embryos is mature and safe, and the risk of pregnancy or delivery complications and birth defects is similar to that of traditional IVF technology.