Cryobiology
Advances in techniques for freezing gametes (sperm, eggs) and embryos has been a boon for the field of reproductive medicine.
Refined vitrification methods for embryos produce outstanding survival rates and have helped to improve pregnancy rates by allowing clinics to optimize embryo-endometrial synchrony in frozen embryo transfer cycles and to facilitate preimplantation genetic testing. A long standing research program at IVI RMA Global examining the safety of modern egg freezing protocols have also helped push this procedure from the realm of the experimental to every day practice in many clinics.
Furthermore, researchers have performed ovarian tissue cryopreservation proceduress, whereby the ovary is removed from the body prior to gonadotoxic medical therapy, such as chemotherapy, frozen, and then replaced after completion of treatment.
This cutting edge research has produced live born babies and may provide hope for patients who previously had few options after a devastating diagnosis, such as cancer.
Investigators working in this area
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Publications from this area
- Pre-clinical validation of a closed surface system (Cryotop SC) for the vitrification of oocytes and embryos in the mouse model.
Castello D Cobo A Vanrell I Garcia M Calderon G Remohí J Mestres E Costa-Borges N
Cryobiology, 81:107-116, 2018.
- Vitrification of human oocytes.
Coello A Pellicer A Cobo A
Minerva Ginecol, 70(4):415-423, 2018.
- Oocyte vitrification versus ovarian cortex transplantation in fertility preservation for adult women undergoing gonadotoxic treatments: a prospective cohort study.
Diaz-Garcia C Domingo J García-Velasco JA Herraiz S Mirabet V Iniesta I Cobo A Remohí J Pellicer A
Fertil Steril, 109(3):478-485, 2018.
- The impact of vitrification in artificial reproductive technology programmes
Manish Banker Kotdawala A Reena Gupta
European Medical Journal, Nov 2017
- The impact of elevated progesterone at the initiation of an artificially prepared frozen embryo transfer cycle: a case series.
Drakopoulos P Mat C Polyzos NP Santos-Ribeiro S van de Vijver A Van Landuyt L Tournaye H Blockeel C
Curr Pharm Biotechnol. 2017;18(8):619-21
- Vitrified-warmed blastocyst transfer on the 5th or 7th day of progesterone supplementation in an artificial cycle: a randomised controlled trial
Van de Vijver A Drakopoulos P Polyzos NP Van Landuyt L Mackens S Santos-Ribeiro S Vloeberghs V Tournaye H Blockeel C
Gynecol Endocrinol 2017; 26:1-4
- Oocyte, embryo and blastocyst cryopreservation in ART: systematic review and meta-analysis comparing slow-freezing versus vitrification to produce evidence for the development of global guidance.
Rienzi L Cracia C Maggiulli R LaBarbera AR Kaser DJ Ubaldi FM Vanderpoel S
Hum Reprod Update, 23:139-155. 2017.
- The slow growing embryo and premature progesterone elevation: compounding factors for embryo-endometrial asynchrony.
Healy MW Yamasaki M Patounakis G Richter KS Devin K DeCherney AH Hill MJ
Hum Reprod, 32:362-7. 2017.
- Should we forget about embryos till day 5?
Bronet F Agudo Garcillán D
Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol 2017, 29:107-111 DOI:10.1097/GCO.0000000000000355
- Impact of Endometrial Preparation Protocols for Frozen Embryo Transfer on Live Birth Rates.
Cerrillo M Herrero L Guillen A Mayoral M García-Velasco JA
Rambam Maimonides Med J. 2017 Apr 28;8(2). doi: 10.5041/RMMJ.10297.
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