Vitrification: the pioneering past to current trends and perspectives of cryopreserving human embryos, gametes and reproductive tissue

Figures & data

Table 1 Select information from the national summary of ART statistics by the CDC reviewing the frozen ET results of non-donor egg cycles

Frozen embryos: autologous cycles	Age groups (years)
	<35	35-37	38-40	41-42	43-44
SCCRM: 2014/2015
No. of cycles	82/93	75/70	72/68	27/29	9/11
Mean #ET	1.1/1.0	1.2/1.1	1.271.1	1.1/1.1	I.4/1.0
%IR	77.9/71.3	61.0/69.4	60.0/71.4	84.0/64.3	6/13/6/11
%LBR/ET	73.1/68.8	66.2/65.7	55.0/69.1	69.6/58.6	5/9/6/11
%Healthy single/ET	56.4/61.3*	56.3/55.7	48.3/54.4	69.6*/48.3	4/9/6/11
Mean CDC 2014
No. of cycles	26,182	13,539	10,078	3,792	1,811
Mean #ET	1.6	1.5	1.6	1.7	1.8
%IR	43.7	40.8	35.2	28.4	19.9
%LBR/ET	46.6	44.0	38.3	32.1	23.1
%Healthy single/ET	30.7	30.6	27.1	23.3	16.8

Notes: The data contrast the SCCRM clinic in 2014 and 2015 to the national average in 2014. SCCRM and its affiliated Ovation Fertility Laboratory have strived to optimize the quality of patient care by implementing a clinical practice of predominantly PGS/vitrification-all cycles. In turn, the use of single euploid ET maximizes implantation and healthy singleton live birth successes.

* The SCCRM clinic achieved some of the highest healthy singleton LBR in the USA in 2015 (ie, healthy single: normal birthweight term singleton). Data from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance, National Summary Reports 2010–2015.⁸⁶

Abbreviations: ART, assisted reproductive technology; CDC, Center for Disease Control; ET, embryo transfer; IR, implantation rate; LBR, live birth rate; PGS, preimplantation genetic screening; SCCRM, Southern California Center for Reproductive Medicine.

Figure 1 Laser manipulation of human embryos.

Notes: (A) The hatched blastocyst possessing a single nonviable, unincorporated trophectodermal cell (*) following pre-vitrification laser-mediated blastocoel collapse and post-warming in vitro culture. (B) Routine biopsying of trophectodermal cells via laser-assisted, micro-aspiration has confirmed the biosafety of infrared diode lasers and further proven the resiliency of embryos to micromanipulation and subsequent cryopreservation.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance, National Summary Reports 2010–2015. Available from: www.nccd.cdc.gov/assisted reproductive health data:clinic/DRH/CDC. Accessed August 29, 2017.

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