NCT01223105

Oocyte Cryopreservation by Slow Freezing and Vitrification

Longitudinal Evaluation of Vitrification of Human Oocytes

• Status: Terminated
• Phase: Phase 2 / Phase 3
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 2 (actual)
• Sponsor: Reproductive Medicine Associates of New Jersey · Academic / Other
• Sex: Female
• Age: 21 Years – 50 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study seeks to evaluate whether the vitrification technique, as compared to the more traditional slow-cooling technique, leads to higher rates of successful thawing, fertilization, implantation and delivery.

Detailed description

Cryopreservation (freezing) of human gametes (unfertilized egg) provides a great potential to preserve or extend fertility in the face of disease and social circumstances (cancer diagnosis, delaying childbirth, single women, etc.). There are two methods for storage of oocytes (unfertilized eggs): slow freezing or vitrification (uses higher concentrations of cryoprotectant and faster cooling rates). Slow freezing is the standard method and has been successful for embryos since 1983 and more recently for oocytes. Recent reports indicate that vitrification may be more successful than slow freezing. The aim of this study is to examine the rate at which frozen eggs survive freezing and thawing, the rate at which the frozen/thawed eggs fertilize with sperm and the pregnancy outcomes of oocyte (egg) vitrification cycles to determine whether the outcomes are similar or better than standard oocyte (egg) cryopreservation (freezing) cycles.

Conditions

• Women Diagnosed With Cancer
• Egg Donors
• Single Women
• Failed Sperm Procurement in IVF

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	slow freeze	Eggs will be placed in a cryo-protected solution and frozen slowly in a programable freezer
PROCEDURE	Vitrification	Eggs will be placed in a high concentration of cryo-protectant and frozen very quickly by plunging in liquid nitrogen

Timeline

• Start date: 2009-07-01
• Primary completion: 2010-07-01
• Completion: 2010-07-01
• First posted: 2010-10-18
• Last updated: 2013-11-19