Freezing and preserving embryos
Freezing preserves embryos for later use. Vitrification is a common technique. Preserving them involves decisions about use, authorizations, storage costs, and what to do if your family plans change.
Freezing and preserving embryos
- What it means to preserve them
- The decisions to clarify
- If you want to move them to another clinic
- Related articles
- Sources
Freezing embryos allows separating their creation from transfer. It can be used to prepare for treatment or to preserve embryos that will not be used immediately.
What it means to preserve them
Embryos are stored under specific conditions, usually through vitrification. Before a transfer, they are thawed and their condition is evaluated. Not all survive the process.
The decisions to clarify
- Which embryos are preserved and where.
- Who can authorize their use and what happens if family circumstances change.
- What time frame, renewals, and costs the storage agreement establishes.
- How your contact information will be updated.
- What options the regulations allow if you decide not to use them.
If you want to move them to another clinic
A transfer requires coordination between laboratories. First, confirm that the receiving clinic can accept them and what documentation is needed.
Keep a copy of the inventory and consent. You can confirm what authorizations are needed for storage and which will be reviewed before using the embryos.
Related articles
- Transferring embryos between clinics or countries
- How to read your embryo report
- What it means to give informed consent
