Lecture 24: Fertility Preservation

Question 1

Why might you wish to preserve your fertility?

Answer 1

1) Chemotherapy
2) No partner during the ‘peak fertility’ time
3) Studying/Career development during the “peak ferterility” time

Question 2

Describe Cryopreservation of gametes

Answer 2

• Cryopreservation is the use of very low temperatures to preserve structurally intact living cells and tissues
  
  • Sperm can be effective frozen in liquid nitrogen for many years and then successfully used to fertilise oocytes
  • In contrast, human oocytes are more difficult to freeze and thaw successfully but this technology is improving
  • Success rates with frozen embryos are lower than for fresh embryos