Frozen Embryo Health Examined - Frozen IVF Babies Tend to Fare Better Than Fresh IVF Babies

SANTA MONICA, Calif. - March 18, 2013 - PRLog -- A recent study led by Dr. Ulla-Britt Wennerholm, MID, concludes that babies born from frozen embryos have better outcomes compared to babies born from fresh embryos, but worse outcomes compared to the non-IVF general population. The study compared data from several European IVF centers from 1984 to 2007, and focused on eight major outcomes including: birth weight, preterm birth rates, and occurrence of stillbirth. The study finds that babies born through the use of frozen embryos were actually less likely to be born early or underweight than their fresh-embryo counterparts. These findings suggest an improved safety profile with cryopreserved embryos, opening the door for wider application of this technology. This is an important advancement since the field of Assisted Reproductive Technologies is moving more and more to single embryo transfer thus necessitating reliable embryo cryopreservation techniques. Which is good news for fertility clinics everywhere (visit: http://www.santamonicafertility.com/fertility-and-treatment-options/fertility-basics/fertility-testing-process.html).

The technology to freeze embryos has evolved over the last 30 years from slow-freeze techniques to rapid-freeze ones scientifically known as “vitrification.” Current vitrification techniques are even more precise than their technological predecessors, and have globally increased the rate of live births from frozen embryos.  As IVF centers have become more proficient in vitrification techniques, so too have live birth rates from frozen embryos, which now approach those seen with fresh embryos, especially for women under the age of 30. The study by Dr. Wennerholm, who has published extensively in the area of child health and Assisted Reproductive Technologies, helps to confirm the safety of cryopreservation technology and the associated impact on embryos. As of 2013, over 150,000 babies have been born from frozen embryos without any significant increase in birth defects, cognitive impairment, or developmental delay. Wennerholm’s study concludes that babies born from frozen embryos are less likely to be born early, or underweight when compared to babies born from fresh embryos developed through IVF.

During the last 30 years, there has been greater awareness that both the embryo culture environment and the uterine environment are critical for successful IVF outcomes. No doubt, the favorable findings of this study underscore the evolving awareness in the field of Reproductive Medicine of the multiple factors that contribute to the health and development of an embryo. Although frozen embryos appear to have better outcomes in this study than fresh embryos, the latter are still the mainstay of IVF providing the highest pregnancy rates seen from this technology and potentially the healthiest human beings over time.

Study link: http://www.smfmnewsroom.org/2013/02/largest-population-ba...