Cryopreservation is the process of storing the embryos, cells, tissues or any other biological forms for the later use. They are being preserved by cooling the samples at a very low temperature. However, the reaction of these living cells to ice formation is a matter of practical relevance and theoretical interest. Moreover, certain biological products such as stem cells and viable tissues cannot be preserved by the cooling or freezing method as it might lead to ice crystal formation, osmotic shock, and damaged membrane which could further result in cell death.
With the growing success of cryopreservation of cells and tissues over the recent years, Vardaan Medical Center, the best IVF hospital in Jalandhar, has taken an initiative to let people know more about this procedure. The team of best IVF doctors at the hospital believes that a deep understanding of the physical and chemical properties that are involved in the process of freezing and thawing cycle is highly important to get great results of cryopreservation.
Subsequently, being the best IVF hospital in North India, we take it as our responsibility to let you understand the complete procedure of cryopreservation, such as slow freezing and vitrification and other relevant and valuable information. So without any further ado, let’s get started.
What is embryo cryopreservation?
It is the process of cooling or freezing to store the excess embryos. Further, these embryos are defrosted and used at a later stage when required. However, it is one of the most crucial aspects of most of the IVF programs. Therefore, one can find the best cryopreservation services at our hospital under the guidance of the experts. It was back in 1980 when the first successful pregnancy took place with the help of freezing a healthy embryo. That was the time when this medical procedure came into trend.
People generally opt for this process, when they wish to get pregnant in the future or to donate it to someone needy or even for other medical researches or merely for training purposes. With either of these aims, they decide to store an embryo in the current situation. To embark upon the process, the hormones along with other medications are employed to stir up the production of possibly fertile eggs. It is then when the doctors extract those eggs from the ovaries and wither fertilizes them in the lab or freeze them.
If the fertilization gets successful, then it might result in one healthy embryo. Following which the doctor transmits the embryo to the womb or the uterus. If the treatment goes well, the embryo develops. As a fact, in most of the cases of fertilization, there is more than one embryo that is produced. Perhaps the doctors then freeze and store the remaining embryos for later use.
Process of Cryopreservation
Probing further, the main objective behind freezing the embryos is to store them for future use. But the major hurdle is the water present in the cells. The risk is, when the water within the cells freezes, there is the possibility of crystal formation which can further damage or burst the cell. Here arises the need for cryopreservation, which helps the doctors overcome this challenge. In this process, the water present within the cells is efficiently replaced with a substance known as cryoprotectant.
Once cryoprotectant is inserted in the cells, the doctors then leave the embryos. Further, the rising levels of cryoprotectant help the embryos incubate prior to freezing them. In addition to that when most of the water is removed, the doctor chills the embryo till it attains its preservation state. It is then that one of these two below mentioned freezing methods are used:
Slow Freezing
In this method, firstly the embryos are tightly sealed in the tubes and then gradually the temperature is lowered down. This is done with the aim to avoid the aging of the embryo’s cells that further lessens the damaging risk. At the same time, it is a long time process and also requires expensive machinery to be performed.
Vitrification
In contrast to the slow freezing method, the doctors in this method speedily freeze the cryoprotected embryos which leave no room for the water molecules to freeze into ice crystals. This results in embryos’ protection and also magnifies their survival rate during the process of thawing. Once the freezing process is completed, the doctor uses liquid nitrogen to preserve the embryos.
Our Results of Cryopreservation at Vardaan Medical Center
With our multiple branches in North India, we are considered to be the best IVF hospital in Jalandhar that possesses the team of best embryologists who helps to widen your possibilities of getting pregnant with the embryo after the process of cryopreservation. Our center enjoys one of the high success rates in the process of embryo thawing after cryopreservation. Also, the women who consulted our experts have delivered healthy babies with embryos. So, if you wish to delay your pregnancy or have difficulties in conceiving then do visit our IVF Center in Jalandhar to get the expert advice on cryopreservation.
