Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Human cleavage-stage embryo vitrification is comparable to slow-rate cryopreservation in cycles of assisted reproduction

  • Assisted Reproduction
  • Published:
Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

To compare embryo survival, pregnancy and implantation rates after cryopreservation of human cleavage-stage embryos with slow-rate cryopreservation or vitrification.

Study design

262 patients, attending for assisted reproduction, were prepared for oocyte retrieval using standard controlled ovarian hyperstimulation protocols. Excess embryos were cryopreserved on day 3 either by vitrification, or slow-rate cryopreservation in a programmable freezer. Cycles of thawing were monitored for thaw efficiency, pregnancy and implantation rates.

Results

Clinical pregnancy and implantation rates were highly comparable between cycles in which day 3 embryos were thawed either after slow-rate cryopreservation or vitrification.

Conclusions

These data suggest that vitrification of human embryos during assisted reproduction cycles achieves comparable success rates to fresh cycles and therefore can be applied in the laboratory of assisted reproduction.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Lindheim SR, Legro RS, Morris RS, Vijod MA, Lobo RA, Paulson RJ, et al. Altered responses to stress in women undergoing in-vitro fertilisation and recipients of oocyte donation. Hum Reprod. 1995;10:320–3.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Mandelbaum J, Belaïsch-Allart J, Junca AM, Antoine JM, Plachot M, Alvarez S, et al. Cryopreservation in human assisted reproduction is now routine for embryos but remains a research procedure for oocytes. Hum Reprod. 1998;13 Suppl 3:161–74.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Tiitinen A, Hydén-Granskog C, Gissler M. What is the most relevant standard of success in assisted reproduction?: The value of cryopreservation on cumulative pregnancy rates per single oocyte retrieval should not be forgotten. Hum Reprod. 2004;19:2439–41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Selman H, Francesco Brusco G, Fiorini F, Barnocchi N, Mariani M, El-Danasouri I. Vitrification is a highly efficient method to cryopreserve human embryos in in vitro fertilization patients at high risk of developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Fertil Steril. 2009;91:1611–3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Vajta G, Nagy ZP. Are programmable freezers still needed in the embryo laboratory? Review on vitrification. Reprod Biomed Online. 2006;12:779–96.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  6. Mukaida T, Nakamura S, Tomiyama T, Wada S, Oka C, Kasai M, et al. Vitrification of human blastocysts using cryoloops: clinical outcome of 223 cycles. Hum Reprod. 2003;18:384–91.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Liebermann J. Vitrification of human blastocysts: an update. Reprod Biomed Online. 2009;19 Suppl 4:4328.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Stehlik E, Stehlik J, Katayama KP, Kuwayama M, Jambor V, Brohammer R, et al. Vitrification demonstrates significant improvement versus slow freezing of human blastocysts. Reprod Biomed Online. 2005;11:53–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  9. Cao YX, Xing Q, Li L, Cong L, Zhang ZG, Wei ZL, et al. Comparison of survival and embryonic development in human oocytes cryopreserved by slow freezing and vitrification. Fertil Steril. 2009;92:1306–11.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Loutradi KE, Kolibianakis EM, Venetis CA, Papanikolaou EG, Pados G, Bontis I, et al. Cryopreservation of human embryos by vitrification or slow freezing: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Fertil Steril. 2008;90:186–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Kolibianakis EM, Venetis CA, Tarlatzis BC. Cryopreservation of human embryos by vitrification or slow freezing: which one is better? Curr Opin Obstet Gynecol. 2009;21:270–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Kasai M, Mukaida T. Cryopreservation of animal and human embryos by vitrification. Reprod Biomed Online. 2004;9:164–70.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhang J, Cui J, Ling X, Li X, Peng Y, Guo X, et al. Vitrification of mouse embryos at 2-cell, 4-cell and 8-cell stages by cryotop method. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2009;26:621–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Zhang X, Trokoudes KM, Pavlides C. Vitrification of biopsied embryos at cleavage, morula and blastocyst stage. Reprod Biomed Online. 2009;19:526–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. De Placido G, Wilding M, Strina I, Alviggi E, Alviggi C, Mollo A, et al. High outcome predictability after IVF using a combined score for zygote and embryo morphology and growth rate. Hum Reprod. 2002;17:2402–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Navot D, Scott R, Droesch K, Veeck L, Liu H, Rosenwaks Z. The window of embryo transfer and the efficiency of human conception in vitro. Fertil Steril. 1991;55:114–8.

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Prapas Y, Prapas N, Jones EE, Duleba AJ, Olive DL, Chatziparasidou A, et al. The window for embryo transfer in oocyte donation cycles depends on the duration of progesterone therapy. Hum Reprod. 1998;13:720–3.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Saito H, Ishida GM, Kaneko T, Kawachiya S, Ohta N, Takahashi T, et al. Application of vitrification to human embryo freezing. Gynecol Obstet Investig. 2000;49:145–9.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Michelmann HW, Nayudu P. Cryopreservation of human embryos. Cell Tissue Bank. 2006;7:135–41.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Al-Hasani S, Ozmen B, Koutlaki N, Schoepper B, Diedrich K, Schultze-Mosgau A. Three years of routine vitrification of human zygotes: is it still fair to advocate slow-rate freezing? Reprod Biomed Online. 2007;14:288–93.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Kattera S, Chen C. Cryopreservation of embryos by vitrification: current development. Int Surg. 2006;91(5 Suppl):S55–62.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. Sugiyama R, Nakagawa K, Shirai A, Sugiyama R, Nishi Y, Kuribayashi Y, et al. Clinical outcomes resulting from the transfer of vitrified human embryos using a new device for cryopreservation (plastic blade). J Assist Reprod Genet. 2010;27:161–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Abdelhafez FF, Desai N, Abou-Setta AM, Falcone T, Goldfarb J. Slow freezing, vitrification and ultra-rapid freezing of human embryos: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Reprod Biomed Online. 2010;20:209–22.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Rezazadeh Valojerdi M, Eftekhari-Yazdi P, Karimian L, Hassani F, Movaghar B. Vitrification versus slow freezing gives excellent survival, post warming embryo morphology and pregnancy outcomes for human cleaved embryos. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2009;26:347–54.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank Vincenzo Monfrecola for his help in the preparation of this work. No financial contribution was received or offered during the entire study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro Fecondazione Assistita, Clinica Villa del Sole, Via Manzoni 15, 80122, Napoli, Italy

    Martin Graham Wilding, Loredana Di Matteo, Enrico Fusco & Brian Dale

  2. Studio Medico Percorso Donna, Via Miranda 8, 71100, Foggia, Italy

    Clemente Capobianco & Nadia Montanaro

  3. Studio Medico, Viale Marconi 77, 65100, Pescara, Italy

    Nadia Montanaro

  4. Klinika ‘EGIAN’, Rruga E Kavaje, Ish Parku i Autobuzeve, Tirana, Albania

    Genc Kabili

  5. Tirana Maternity Hospital, Boulevard “B.Curri”, Tirana, Albania

    Genc Kabili

  6. Facolta di Medicina e Chirurgia, II Università degli Studi di Napoli, Via Costantinopoli, 16, 80100, Napoli, Italy

    Loredana Di Matteo

Authors
  1. Martin Graham Wilding
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Clemente Capobianco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Nadia Montanaro
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Genc Kabili
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Loredana Di Matteo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Enrico Fusco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Brian Dale
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Graham Wilding.

Additional information

Capsule A prospective, randomised trial demonstrated that vitrification of day 3 human embryos gave comparable results to traditional slow-rate freezing protocols.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wilding, M.G., Capobianco, C., Montanaro, N. et al. Human cleavage-stage embryo vitrification is comparable to slow-rate cryopreservation in cycles of assisted reproduction. J Assist Reprod Genet 27, 549–554 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-010-9452-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-010-9452-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation