14 November 2012

Social Egg Freezing Experimental Label Lifted

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IVF Australia

Australia’s leading fertility specialists welcome the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) announcing its position to lift the ‘experimental’ label from egg freezing after a decade of research and development to review safety and efficacy.

IVFAustralia’s Medical Director, Associate Professor Peter Illingworth, said: “The ASRM’s announcement that the technique of egg freezing, followed by fertilisation by intracytoplasmic sperm injection, results in acceptable subsequent pregnancy rates and ‘should no longer be considered experimental' endorses our experience and leading practice in Australia.”

However, A/Prof Illingworth also added a note of caution; “While the technology is now established, women opting to have egg freezing should also be aware of the limitations of the approach. Freezing your eggs is no guarantee of future fertility, and it is generally accepted that success rates from egg freezing will diminish rapidly beyond the age of 35.”

The ASRM’s systematic review included four key randomised controlled trials of fresh vs. vitrified/warmed oocytes, indicating that young women freezing their eggs have the same probability of live birth per embryo transfer as women undergoing IVF or ICSI with fresh eggs.

The ASRM publication also states no increases in chromosomal abnormalities, birth defects, or developmental deficits have been noted in the children born from cryopreserved oocytes.

For further information or an interview with A/Prof Illingworth, Medical Director IVF Australia, please contact Nicole Phillips on 0408 280499 or Hayley Dodman on 0420 958 296

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