Progress in embryo freezing optimisation. An Instituto Bernabeu clinical study for the Belgian Fertility Society

The Instituto Bernabeu group presented 5 pieces of research work at the Belgian Fertility Society Congress held in Mons in November.

The embryo vitrification technique is commonly used in in vitro fertilisation laboratories and involves exposing the embryo to high concentrations of cryoprotectants in order to obtain high survival rates. Care needs to be taken to ensure that the embryo is not kept under these conditions for longer than 15 minutes since this could have a negative impact on development.

The aim of this study was to determine the minimum time that the embryo needs to be exposed in order to achieve high survival rates, without compromising viability.

Having collected data from over 300 embryos on the times embryos need in order to reach a balance with the medium, it was concluded that there is a connection between the embryo's condition and the time required to reach that balance. Exposure to the medium can be optimised with a minimum possible time, thus avoiding potential damage to the embryo and improving process results.

New proposal for Embryo Vitrification. Minimal exposure to equilibration solution. Rodriguez-Arnedo A, Ten J, Guerrero J, Tió MC, Cascales L, Ll. Aparicio J, Bernabeu R