Cryopreservation is an extremely complex method used by our reproductive medicine specialists and biologists to freeze sperm and testicular tissue as well as egg cells – even in the pronuclear stage – and store them over a long period of time.
Cryopreservation of sperm and testicular tissue has proven to be particularly effective in cases of reduced sperm quality. Immediately after collection, the body cells are frozen in liquid nitrogen at temperatures as low as minus 196 degrees and stored at Alphalife Kryobank Hamburg GmbH, which is affiliated with Fleetinsel Fertility Clinic in Hamburg. We use this method, for example, in cases of low sperm count. Or if a male patient is about to undergo a cell-destroying therapy, such as chemotherapy or radiotherapy. The freezing of male germ material also enables couples to carry out their fertility treatment without any time pressure or psychological pressure.
Egg cells and fertilised egg cells in the pronuclear stage can also be stored by cryopreservation on request (or in the case of upcoming chemotherapy or radiotherapy). We only transfer two or a maximum of three embryos into the uterus per treatment cycle. Any remaining egg cells can be frozen and safely stored in the pronuclear stage on request. In the thawing (“cryo”) cycle, these eggs in pronuclear stages are thawed if necessary and cultivated into embryos, which are then transferred into the uterus. In contrast to a complete IVF or ICSI treatment cycle, this saves women from having to undergo hormonal stimulation and egg retrieval again.