Would you like your embryos fresh or frozen?
That statement is no joke. In fact, your doctor might be asking you that very same question very soon.
If you’re trying to get pregnant through the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process, a recent study might offer new ideas for more new chances.
While there’s already plenty to consider during the IVF process, new research suggests that using frozen embryos creates more IVF success stories than using fresh embryos.
In this post, we’ll discuss the latest research which indicates using embryos which are frozen and then thawed may have better success rates than using fresh embryos.
Creating More IVF Success Stories
Storing food in the freezer keeps it fresh longer, so why wouldn’t that work for embryos?
Okay, so maybe making a comparison between frozen food and frozen fertilized eggs isn’t the most appetizing analogy.
But regardless of the comparisons made by researchers to describe their findings to laymen, the results are impressive:
The Study
Women who choose to get pregnant through the IVF process most commonly use fresh embryos for their attempts.
However, a recently published study based on research conducted in China shows promise for those which opt to use embryos which are frozen and later thawed.
The IVF study was randomized and followed over 1,500 women who were impregnated using the IVF process.
Data was collected over the course of two years and drew on information from patients from fourteen medical centers. It should be noted that the participants and their progress were tracked for the entirety of their pregnancies.
The researchers found that there was little disparity found in pregnancy rates among the group which used fresh embryos compared to those who used frozen but then thawed embryos.
Interestingly, however, the study found that the women who used frozen embryos had more IVF success stories to share than their fresh embryo counterparts.
Of the women who were impregnated using fresh embryos, roughly a third of the group lost their baby at some point during the pregnancy.
However, of the women impregnated with a frozen embryo, only a fifth of the participants lost their baby.
Furthermore, the study discovered that the women who used frozen embryos also gave birth to babies with higher birth weights.
Translating the Results
While the study indicates that using frozen embryos led to more IVF success stories, the study was unable to determine exactly why frozen embryos led to more successful live births.
It’s important to note that the study drew from participants who had all been diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). The researchers do suspect the results indicate the procedure
The researchers do suspect the results indicate the procedure will work for those without PCOS, but there’s no way to be certain. At least not yet.
Although the study wasn’t formulated to discover why frozen embryos led to more successful live births than fresh embryos, the results show promise and may lead to new ways of examining IVF success rates.
Conclusion
Do you want to create your own IVF success stories? We can help.
We are experts in fertility medicine who offer you personalized care for the highest chance of a successful pregnancy.
To request an appointment or to learn more about what we do, contact Kofinas Fertility today!