Egg Retrieval
You will be placed on fertility drugs, which stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs. When the eggs are mature and ready for retrieval, a doctor will gently guide a needle attached to a catheter through the vaginal wall. You will be given IV sedation to help ease any discomfort. Using ultrasound guidance, we locate each follicle and draw fluid into a test tube to retrieve your eggs. The procedure only lasts about 15 minutes. The eggs are then identified with your name and a unique number and given to the embryologist, who is specially trained in cryopreservation.
Treatment With Cryoprotectant
We treat your eggs with cryoprotectant before they are frozen. We will add the necessary cryoprotectant until it reaches the proper concentration. This process ensures the protection of your eggs while they are frozen.
Egg Freezing and Storage
Your eggs are frozen using a process known as vitrification, the newest method of “flash freezing.” This process is closely monitored to preserve the health of your eggs. When your eggs have reached a temperature of negative 196 degrees Celsius, they are placed in liquid nitrogen. This cold state preserves the functionality of the eggs for years.
Egg Fertilization
When you are ready to have children, we will thaw some or all of your eggs. Once they are thawed, we will then use a technique known as
ICSI that helps improve the chances of fertilization. When the fertilized eggs have developed into multi-cell embryos, a catheter is used to place one or more embryos into the uterus, which will hopefully result in pregnancy.