# Has anyone had their eggs frozen as opposed to embies??



## mayve (Oct 31, 2006)

I also posted this message on the overseas clinic thread but thought to check here too. 

Here in Italy, law does not permit the fertilization of more than 3 eggs per cycle nor the freezing of embroys, therefore any extra eggs are frozen. The statistics that I've read on success rates using frozen eggs are not great (only 200 live births in the world!). Of course every other country seems to allow the freezing of embies which survive the thaw with more success.

Has anyone experienced ET having started with frozen eggs? I'd love to get some feedback.

Many thanks
Mayve


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## fragile (Mar 6, 2006)

sorry Mayve but i have only heard of FET using embryos which were frozen not just the eggs from frozen.  i think it is just standard here to fertilise the eggs before freezing, im sure there must be some exceptions but i havent heard of anyone, so sorry for your loss. i hope someone else can help re the frozen eggs

mo x


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## Lol (May 19, 2004)

There is a technique called vitrification that they are using in the states (SIRM clinic) but I am not sure if anyone in Europe uses it.  It is a very quick freeze process so causes less damage to the eggs.  Obviously that is not much help to you as I can't recommend a clinic but maybe they are investigating it in Italy or you could talk to your doctor about it?


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## mayve (Oct 31, 2006)

Thanks all for your replies. 

I have since done even more research and have discovered that the only way to ensure a higher success rate with frozen eggs is if they are frozen with the vitrification method. The method was first used in Italy but unfortunately is not the method used on my eggs (still considered to be experimental). Many US clinics are using it and now the media is pushing/attracting a market for the "career woman" to freeze her eggs for future use.  

At this point there is no way to salvage my 5 eggs and after having read the following statistic I think that I will forego using them. What a shame to let them go to waste, but I was the fool to not have investigated previously. The statistics on arriving at an embryo are very low. 

"For each embryo that is successfully generated with frozen and unfrozen eggs, the live birth rates were 21.6 and 60.4 percent, respectively"

Mayve


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## midwifedee (Jan 2, 2007)

Hi.
As far as I know there are only 3 countries in the world that use a special technique to freeze eggs, it uses antifreeze and then store them. The critical stage comes when the eggs are defrosted and re-hydrated as they are more fragile. I also know that hte success rate is to that good after defrosted for fertilisation but I have been lucky enough to have had this treatment that is so pioneering.
We were guineapigs for a hospital, new to trying this. We were lucky that all the donated eggs froze well, and survived defrosting . They also had a success rate of fertilisation the same as for fresh eggs but again out of the 6 frozen, 4 fertilised but only 2 survived and changed enabling a ET of 2 on day 3 at 7 & 8 cells. Then it was up to me, and unfortunately I was pregnant on Wednesday, negative on Friday and lost them on the Monday.
We knew the success rate was very low but had to give it a go.

I know that hospitals and clinic are now considering this as an option for those ladies who have not yet found Mr "Right", so want to preserve the quality of their eggs at a younger age than later when they may find him, also used for those women unfortunately that may have to face cancer treatments that may later cause sterility and as an extra option for those who may wish to egg share, produce so many that they then wish to share and so half are frozen.

It is an advancement that only 3 centres have published world wide, (midland fertility, slovenia and Bolongya) but very few statistics reveal positive pregnancy rates. I know that the Midland fertility centre did publicise a positive pregnancy but I am not sure if this was also a birth... there are other clinics that have the facilities to freeze eggs but not necessarily the advanced technology to defrost and fertilise them at a later date. Most clinics would prefer to use fresh eggs and sperm for better success rates at fertilisation and better pregnancy rates for their clients..

Do not give up hope. there must be a lot of research out there that as yet I am not familiar with. It may even be something of the future for the next generations or couple going through IVF treatments.

Good luck in your quest.

Although not a positive outcome for us and no baby to cuddle it really was a worthwhile attempt and one I would do again if the opportunity arose.

Dee


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## fluffyhelen9999 (May 13, 2005)

Hi,
Yes, I'm at the Lister in London and I had some eggs frozen just as eggs and not embies.  I was the 2nd patient there to ever try using frozen eggs..  the cycle went fairly well, I had 6 eggs, 4 survived the thaw, and of those 4, 2 fertilised with ICSI...  I had the 2 both put back (they were grade 2) but unfortunately it resulted in a BFN.

We knew my chances of a BFP were pretty low, but I was still in with a chance (which unfortunately wasn't meant to be), but it's still worth trying I think.  I was told chances of BFP were about 20%.  Techniques have meant to have improved a lot recently and chances of BFP's with eggs are on the rise...  
Best of luck,
Helen xx


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## mayve (Oct 31, 2006)

Thanks everyone for the input.

I found an Italian site similar to FF and there are some messages on the forum from members who have gotten BFPs having started with frozen eggs and I don't believe that they were frozen with the vitrification method. I suppose that there is a chance....

We returned to our clinic last week to follow up on the next step and they actually advised us to go out of Italy for any subsequent IVF tx. They also said that they wouldn't recommend to defrost and try our eggs unless we are prepared for the worst case scenario (which is BFP followed by m/c). 

It seems that most of the statistics I've read regard arriving at a BFP and not a live birth.

We are now researching clinics abroad and will keep paying for our eggs to stay on ice... maybe one of these days the tecnique for a successful live birth will be developed and we will defrost them and add 5 more children to our family. (fingers crossed for even one!).


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## djmac (Oct 9, 2006)

Hi Mayve and everyone else

I had nine eggs frozen this week.  This was not my original intention but on the day of EC discovered we had no sperm.  Therefore were forced to freeze the nine from the IVF cycle.  We hope to use them in our next cycle which we will treat just like a FET (providing the sperm show up).

I am in Australia and have been told that there have been 5 live births to date from frozen eggs in Australia (2 from my clinic).  While the technique is not as refined as frozen embryos I am told that one of the reasons the figure is so low is because no one is doing it at this stage.

Fingers crossed that it will work for us.

djmac


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