Abstract
Purpose: To report on successful birth after the transfer of postthawed human zygotes that were vitrified using a conventional straw for the purpose of protecting them from infections and a low-toxicity cryoprotectant that is commercially sold.
Methods: A primary infertile couple presented at our IVF program. After being checked for fertilization, the embryos were not transferred to the uterus at that cycle. Instead, all of them were cryopreserved at the 2-pronuclei stage using our original vitrification method. After the vitrification and warming of four zygotes, two embryos were transferred into the uterus.
Results: Twenty-one 2-pronuclei embryos were vitrified in liquid nitrogen. After 2 embryos were thawed and transferred, successful pregnancy was the outcome, and a healthy boy was born at term.
Conclusions: Vitrification is a simple procedure and requires less time than slow freezing. Vitrification of zygotes in a conventional straw seems to be sufficient for viability and works to store the zygotes safely.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Whittingham DG, Leibo SP, Mazur P: Survival of mouse embryos frozen to −196^C and −269^C. Science 1972;178:411–414
Trounson A, Mohr L: Human pregnancy following cryopreservation; thawing and transfer of an eight-cell embryo. Nature 1983;305:707–709
Rall WF, Fahy GM: Ice-free cryopreservation of mouse embryos at −196^C by vitrification. Nature 1985;313:573–575
Gordts S, Roziers P, Campo R, Noto V: Survival and pregnancy outcome after ultrarapid freezing of human embryos. Fert Sterl 1990;53:469–72
Kruger TF, Menkveld R, Stander FS, Lombard CJ, Van der Merwe JP, Van Zyl JA: Sperm morphologic features as a prognostic factor in in vitro fertilization. Fert Ster 1986;46:1118–1123
Kumon M, Kumasako Y, Utsunomiya T, Araki Y: A vitrification method by means of a straw to prevent infections in mouse pronuclear embryos. J Mamm Ova Res 2003;20:124–128
Yokota Y, Sato S, Yokota M, Ishikawa Y, Makita M, Asada T, Araki Y: Successful pregnancy following blastocyst vitrification. Fertil Steril 2000;15:1802–1803
Lane M, Schoolcraft WB, Gardner DK: Vitrification of mouse and human blastocysts using a novel cyroloop container-less technique. Fert Ster 1999;72:1073–1078
Vajta G, Lewis IM, Kuwayama M, Greve T, Callesen H: Sterile application of the open pulled straw (OPS) vitrification method. Cryo Lett 1998;19:389–392
Choo BS, Shaw J, Kuleshova L, Trounson AO: A comparison of rapid and slow cooling protocols on the survival of bovine primordial follicles cyropreserved within ovarian tissue pieces. Cryobiology 2000;39:284 (Abstract)
Matino A, Songsasen N, Leibo SP: Development into blastocysts of bovine oocytes cryopreserved by ultra-rapid cooling. Biol Reprod 1996;54:1059–1069
Bielanski A, Nadin-Davis S, Sapp T, Lutze-Wallace : Viral contamination of embryos cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen. Cryobiology 2000;40:110–116
Fountain D, Ralston M, Higgins N, Gorlin JB, Uhl L, Wheeler C, Antin JH, Churchill WH, Benjamin RJ: Liquid nitrogen freezers: A potential source of microbial contamination of hematopoietic stem cell components. Transfusion 1997;37:585–591
Ohta N, Nohara M, Kojimahara T, Ito M, Saito T, Nakahara K, Tezuka N, Saito H, Hiroi M: Ultrarapid freezing of human embryos by vitrification method: A case of delivery. Jpn. J Fertil Steril 1996;41:276–279
Jelinkova L, Selman HA, Arav A, Strehler E, Reeka N, Sterzik K: Twin pregnancy after vitrification of 2-pronuclei human embryos. Fert Ster 2002;77:412–414
Mukaida T, Wada S, Takahashi K, Pedro PB, An TZ, Kasai M: Vitrification of human embryos based on the assessment of suitable conditions for 8-cell mouse embryos. Hum Reprod 1998;13:2874–2879
Scheffen B, Van Der Zwalmen P, Massip A: A simple and efficient procedure for preservation of mouse embryos by vitrification. Cryo Lett 1986;7:260–269
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Kumasako, Y., Kumon, M., Utsunomiya, T. et al. Successful Pregnancy After the Vitrification of Zygotes Using Commercial Vitrification Solutions and Conventional Straws to Protect Against Infections in Liquid Nitrogen. J Assist Reprod Genet 22, 33–35 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-005-0818-8
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-005-0818-8