If there is at least one good quality blastocyst (advanced day five or six day embryo) remaining at the end of your treatment cycle, we will suggest cryopreservation or ‘freezing’ of these embryos.
How vitrification of blastocysts works
At Cambridge IVF we use a technique called ‘vitrification’ to rapidly freeze any good quality blastocysts which remain after your embryo transfer procedure. Any embryo which has the capacity to form a good quality blastocyst certainly has the potential to form a pregnancy. This rapid freezing process is probably the most effective method of successfully freezing blastocysts.
During future IVF treatments, we can thaw your frozen blastocysts, one at a time, and transfer them back to you. Freezing and thawing of embryos allows us to extend the number of chances you have to become pregnant from one egg collection procedure.
We have a state of the art cryostorage facility on site. Embryos are stored at very low temperatures (-196°C) using liquid nitrogen or its vapour.
Vitrification is available to NHS and self-funded patients at Cambridge IVF. If you would like more information please contact us at enquiries@cambridgeivf.org.uk or on 01223 349010.