{"id":3096,"date":"2025-11-13T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-11-13T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/genesisathens.ro\/crioconservarea-ovocitelor-ce-este-cum-se-face-si-cand-se-recomanda\/"},"modified":"2026-02-23T12:20:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-23T12:20:03","slug":"egg-cryopreservation-what-it-is-how-it-works-when-its-advised","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/genesisathens.ro\/en\/egg-cryopreservation-what-it-is-how-it-works-when-its-advised\/","title":{"rendered":"Egg Cryopreservation | What It Is, How It Works & When It\u2019s Advised"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
Egg cryopreservation (egg freezing) is an advanced fertility preservation technique that allows women to preserve their eggs for future use. This procedure gives patients the possibility to plan a pregnancy at a later time, using their own genetic material.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Egg cryopreservation is useful for medical reasons. For example, if you are going to undergo cancer treatment, freezing your eggs can be an important way of preserving your fertility for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Egg cryopreservation is also possible for social reasons. If you do not wish to become pregnant at present, cryopreserved eggs can allow you to have a child later in life, using your own genetic material and thus preserving your fertility for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Egg cryopreservation is part of the broader fertility preservation process. It offers the chance to use the stored eggs at a later point in time. For more details about preservation treatments, you can also consult the dedicated cryopreservation page (eggs \/ sperm \/ embryos \/ ovarian tissue).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Is Egg Cryopreservation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Mature eggs (ready to be fertilised) are vitrified so that a woman\u2019s reproductive capacity is preserved, even as time passes. Women are born with all their reproductive cells. Once menstruation begins, these cells start to be used up. The age of the eggs is the same as the woman\u2019s age and determines her reproductive capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Egg cryopreservation means vitrifying the female reproductive cells that would otherwise be lost month by month. It is different from embryo cryopreservation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Egg cryopreservation is used before assisted human reproduction procedures. It is the process of freezing and storing mature eggs for later use in IVF procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stages of Egg Cryopreservation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Stage 1: Medical Consultation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The fertility specialist has an initial consultation with the patient. At this consultation you will find out that the egg preservation procedure is similar to\u2026 placing money in a bank deposit. You deposit cells (eggs) in a cell bank, which you will use later, when you are socially and emotionally ready.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stage 2: Hormonal Stimulation<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
This stage lasts a few days and involves the administration of hormones in order to obtain a higher number of mature eggs than in a natural cycle. It is an essential stage both for egg cryopreservation and for in vitro fertilisation (IVF) procedures.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This is a quick procedure (5\u201315 minutes) performed under sedation. In the procedure room, the fertility specialist will retrieve the follicles from the ovaries. The intervention is carried out on an outpatient basis. The fertility specialist then sends the collected biological material to the embryology laboratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Immediately after retrieval, the eggs are examined in the laboratory by an embryologist. The collected biological material is washed and prepared for rapid freezing (vitrification). Mature eggs are extracted from the ovaries and vitrified so that the woman\u2019s reproductive capacity is preserved, even as time passes. This egg freezing step is the key moment of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fertility Preservation through Egg Cryopreservation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Stage 1: Fertility Assessment and Initial Tests<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
The fertility specialist will perform complete tests that assess your reproductive capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The aim is to estimate the potential number of eggs before the ovarian stimulation cycle. These tests also help the physician determine the necessary dosage of medication:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Hormonal tests<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Ovarian reserve, which is assessed by transvaginal ultrasound combined with a blood test called AMH (Anti-M\u00fcllerian Hormone)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Screening for infectious diseases \u2013 HIV, hepatitis B and C<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
As in an IVF procedure, you will receive treatment with synthetic hormones. These will stimulate the ovaries to mature all the eggs that have started to develop in that month\u2019s cycle. Normally, the body matures only one egg per month.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In order to retrieve the mature eggs at the right time, the doctor will monitor you with blood tests (to evaluate the ovarian response to treatment) and transvaginal ultrasound. The ultrasound shows the development of the follicles (fluid-filled sacs in which the eggs grow).<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stage 3: Egg Retrieval<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
After approximately 10\u201314 days, a minimally invasive retrieval procedure follows, under light sedation. Under ultrasound guidance, a fine needle is passed through the vagina into the ovary. Eggs are aspirated from the follicles and transferred to the laboratory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stage 4: Freezing by Vitrification<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ultrarapid vitrification<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
This is a modern cryopreservation technique that uses cryoprotective agents and ultrarapid freezing. In this way, ice crystals do not form, as they did with older preservation methods. Through ultrarapid vitrification, higher survival rates of the eggs are obtained. Between 90\u201395% survive after thawing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The oocyte is the largest cell in the human body and contains a large amount of water. Before it is frozen, it must be dehydrated and the water replaced with a substance similar to \u201cantifreeze\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The eggs are frozen ultrarapidly and stored in liquid nitrogen at -196\u00b0C.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Storage of the eggs<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
The eggs are stored in a cryobank, where they will be kept safely for an indefinite period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The egg retrieval procedure is identical to the one used in in vitro fertilisation (IVF). The only difference is that, after collection, the eggs are stored instead of being fertilised.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What Are the Most Common Risks<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There are minimal risks associated with the retrieval procedure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It is possible to lose a proportion of the eggs at the time of thawing. This procedure requires advanced technology and experienced embryology specialists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
However, the risks are extremely low in assisted human reproduction centres with a high level of expertise. Genesis Athens, the Centre of Excellence in Infertility Treatment, is the largest infertility treatment centre in Romania.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
When Egg Cryopreservation Is Recommended<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Eggs can be preserved for social or medical reasons. This fertility preservation option is important for women who wish to protect their fertility for the future.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Non-medical reasons<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Women who postpone pregnancy for professional or personal reasons. A woman\u2019s chances of conceiving naturally decrease over time, because both the quality and the number of eggs decline. New eggs cannot be created by medical methods or medication.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Single women who wish to preserve their fertility.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
In cases of low ovarian reserve or a family history of early menopause.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Medical reasons<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\n
Before oncological treatments (chemotherapy, radiotherapy)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Before surgical interventions that may affect the ovaries<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Genetic mutations that require removal of the ovaries (for example, the BRCA mutation)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
Conditions that impact fertility \u2013 autoimmune diseases (such as lupus)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Advantages of Egg Cryopreservation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Egg cryopreservation preserves your chance to have biological children at a more advanced age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Pregnancy occurs through IVF with your own eggs (your own genetic material), not with donated eggs.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
There is a high survival rate of eggs after thawing \u2013 around 90%.<\/li>\n\n\n\n
You have the possibility to plan pregnancy at the right time for you, while benefiting from future fertility using eggs collected at a younger age.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Genesis Athens, the Centre of Excellence in Infertility Treatment, is the largest infertility treatment centre in Romania. We have a high-performance embryology laboratory and embryologists certified by ESHRE. mai mare centru pentru tratarea infertilit\u0103\u021bii din Rom\u00e2nia. Avem laborator de embriologie performant \u0219i embriologi cu certificare ESHRE<\/strong><\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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