What is Vitrification: An Overview

Most women today are choosing to have children later in life.¹ While some wish to establish their career, others may want to accomplish certain life goals before starting a family. And in some cases, women may even be diagnosed with a condition that requires them to undergo a medical procedure that impacts their fertility. All such scenarios highlight the role of vitrification (a process used to freeze eggs) as an ideal option for women willing to secure their fertility potential for the future. 

So ladies, if you wish to take control of your biological clock, it is all the more important for you to know about the egg freezing procedure. So, without further ado, let us dive into the details and learn about the vitrification technique used to freeze eggs!

Vitrification process: Explained

Depending upon the pace of freezing, the two main types of cryopreservation (the process of cooling) techniques include slow freezing and vitrification (rapid cooling). In simple terms, vitrification refers to a process of rapidly cooling eggs and embryos into a glass-like structure so fast that they don’t get a chance to form ice crystals. ^2,3

Advantages Of Vitrification Over Slow Freezing

When it comes to preserving fertility, the method used for cryopreservation plays a crucial role in determining the success of future pregnancies. Traditionally, the slow freezing method was routinely used for cryopreservation, but now vitrification technique (rapid cooling) is preferred due to its several advantages such as:

• Minimizes Damage To The Cells By Preventing Ice Crystals- Unlike slow freezing, vitrification prevents ice crystals from forming, reducing the risk of damage to the eggs.  Ice crystals form the most common source of damage to eggs during slow freezing, which is eliminated through vitrification.
• Decreases The Time Consumed During Cryopreservation- Vitrification is a quicker procedure, significantly reducing the time spent on cryopreservation. This helps preserve the integrity of the eggs, ensuring they remain in optimal condition.
• Reduces Equipment & Maintenance Cost-Vitrification’s rapid process not only preserves the eggs better but also reduces the equipment and maintenance costs compared to slow freezing. It eliminates the need for precise temperature adjustments, making it a more affordable option.
• Better Success Rates: Vitrification has been shown to provide higher survival rates for frozen eggs and embryos, which increases the chances of a successful pregnancy when thawed and fertilized.

Next, let us learn what happens before and during the egg vitrification process in detail!

Before Vitrification

The first and most important step before egg vitrification is ovarian stimulation. In this step, your doctor will administer hormonal medications that will stimulate your ovaries to produce multiple eggs simultaneously.⁴ Following the stimulation, eggs are collected through transvaginal ultrasound aspiration (where an ultrasound probe is inserted into the vagina).⁵ Once the eggs are collected, an embryologist will examine them to verify if they’ve matured enough for fertilization. Post this, the selected retrieved eggs go through the vitrification process.⁶

During Vitrification

Compared to the process of slow freezing, vitrification is done manually and uses higher concentrations of cryoprotectants using minimal cryo-solutions. Studies suggest that, during egg cryopreservation, the most common source of damage that might occur is ice formation.⁷ So, to minimize this cryo-damage, a mixture of various cryoprotectants can be used such as ethylene glycol (EG), dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), propylene glycol (PG), and glycerol.⁸

The cryopreserved egg samples are then kept at an extremely low temperature in cryogenic liquid nitrogen tanks. The temperature of liquid nitrogen (LN2) is kept at −196 ºC which is cold enough to suspend all biological and physiological processes.⁷ 

When vitrification is performed correctly, ice formation is completely omitted and it transforms into a glass-like state. Vitrified solutions do not undergo a liquid-to-solid shift and appear to be solid, even though they are technically in liquid form that cannot flow.⁷ 

Studies suggest that storing immature eggs, or oocytes, through vitrification for longer durations does not affect their quality or the likelihood of a successful pregnancy.⁹ However, proper maintenance and monitoring of adequate LN2 levels in cryo tanks are essential to avoid damage.⁷

Ending Note

Egg vitrification will allow you to secure your fertility for years. And that too without worrying about your reproductive age. So, if you wish to store your eggs for the future, then LifeCell’s OvaVault is here to your rescue! OvaVault offers convenient and flexible cryopreservation plans to preserve your eggs in their best form. You may choose to store them for 1, 5, or 10 years, allowing you to embrace motherhood whenever you’re ready. 

LifeCell has been a cryopreservation expert for 18+ years and has storage facilities located in Chennai and Gurugram. Both cryopreservation facilities are equipped with continuous online monitoring and alarm tools as well as long-term energy backups. 

If you wish to know more about OvaVault, call us at 1800 266 5533.