Frozem Embies, Confused!!

Debs · Post by **Debs** » Mon Oct 14, 2002 11:57 am

Hello Girls Can anyone tell me as I am a bit confused hear I watched the news a few days back and it was on about a women who has had the first frozen egg tranfere that has resulted in a birth. well I thought that having eggs frozen and used had been happening for a long time and surly some women out there must have had children from using there frozen eggs can anyone clarify this for me please as i am confused does this mean that it's likely that using frozen eggs is unlikely to work or have I got this all wrong ThankYou.

fiona_lk · Post by **fiona_lk** » Mon Oct 14, 2002 12:31 pm

Hi Debs, Firstly, welcome to the site. You are correct in believing that eggs have been being frozen for some time. However, there are only a few clinics (6 I believe was mentioned) around the UK who are licenced to freeze eggs. The thawing process means that few frozen eggs survive - as such, most clinics freeze the fertilised eggs (so embryos) which used to give a better rate of thawing. This lady was 'trying out' a pioneering new way to freeze eggs. Now where you may have been confused the most is that freezing eggs has only happened previously in the UK for treatment with donor eggs. This lady was the first to give birth to her own genetical baby after her eggs were frozen. The couple decided to use this method as a moral decision so no embryos would be discarded, as can happen in normal IVF. Hope this clarifies things for you. Fiona

Charmaine · Post by **Charmaine** » Mon Oct 14, 2002 1:05 pm

Hello Deb's & Fiona, I think its because she was the first woman to give bith after her EGGS only were frozen - not embryo's. The eldest child born from FET is 8 years old. It is much more difficult to freeze an egg that hasn't been fertilised, hence the "BIG News". I think it's a great break through Lots of love Charmaine

nicolam · Post by **nicolam** » Mon Oct 14, 2002 1:51 pm

That was my understanding as well Charmaine. It's a fantastic breakthrough (god knows if it'll be generally available in my fertile lifetime though!) Currently we can freeze sperm and embryos (ie eggs that have been fertilized by sperm) but we can't freeze just the eggs. They just haven't been able to tolerate the rigorous freezing processes. So just think - if you've had to pursue your career/haven't met the right man etc, but time is ticking by, you have a chance to put some eggs by! (As well as, of course, being giving the chance of having your own eggs for women who have to undergo serious surgery/chemo therapy or those who might have an early menopause). For me, my problem might be my DH's sperm, so I could have saved some of the spare eggs from previous treatments for future use with a donor or something - without having to go through the whole IVF trauma again. There must be so many advantages to this. Nicola

Debs · Post by **Debs** » Mon Oct 14, 2002 4:41 pm

Thank You Girls You have clarified my confusion on this topic and more as you proberly wont believe this but I never even knew that when you freeze the eggs that its the womens and partners sperm together well just goes to shoe I am so new to all of this but thankyou anyway for taking the time to explain.