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. 2009 Jun;26(6):347-54.
doi: 10.1007/s10815-009-9318-6. Epub 2009 Jun 10.

Vitrification versus slow freezing gives excellent survival, post warming embryo morphology and pregnancy outcomes for human cleaved embryos

Mojtaba Rezazadeh Valojerdi  1 , Poopak Eftekhari-Yazdi, Leila Karimian, Fatemeh Hassani, Bahar Movaghar
Affiliations

Vitrification versus slow freezing gives excellent survival, post warming embryo morphology and pregnancy outcomes for human cleaved embryos

Mojtaba Rezazadeh Valojerdi et al. J Assist Reprod Genet. 2009 Jun.

Abstract

Purpose: The objective of this retrospective study was to evaluate the efficacy of vitrification and slow freezing for the cryopreservation of human cleavage stage embryos in terms of post-warming survival rate, post-warming embryo morphology and clinical outcomes.

Methods: The embryos of 305 patients at cleavage stages were cryopreserved either with vitrification (153 patients) or slow-freezing (152 patients) methods. After warming; the survival rate, post-warmed embryo morphology, clinical pregnancy and implantation rates were evaluated and compared between the two groups.

Result(s): In the vitrification group versus slow freezing group, the survival rate (96.9% vs. 82.8%) and the post-warmed excellent morphology with all blastomeres intact (91.8% vs. 56.2%) were higher with an odds ratio of 6.607 (95% confidence interval; 4.184-10.434) and 8.769 (95% confidence interval; 6.460-11.904), respectively. In this group, the clinical pregnancy rate (40.5% vs. 21.4%) and the implantation rate (16.6% vs. 6.8%) were also higher with an odds ratio of 2.427 (95%confidence interval; 1.461-4.033) and 2.726 (95% confidence interval; 1.837-4.046), respectively.

Conclusion(s): Vitrification in contrast to slow freezing is an efficient method for cryopreservation of human cleavage stage embryos. Vitrification provides a higher survival rate, minimal deleterious effects on post-warming embryo morphology and it can improve clinical outcomes.

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