Fertility Preservation & Freezing Services

Our Fertility Preservation and Freezing Services offer you the opportunity to preserve your fertility for the future. Using advanced vitrification technology, we can safely freeze and store embryos, eggs, and sperm for use when the time is right for you.

Why Consider Fertility Preservation?

Fertility preservation allows you to:

  • Delay family building while pursuing career or educational goals
  • Preserve fertility before medical treatments that may affect it (chemotherapy, radiation)
  • Store excess embryos from IVF cycles for future use
  • Have backup options if initial fertility treatment cycles don’t succeed
  • Preserve fertility before age-related decline

Embryo Freezing (Embryo Cryopreservation)

What Is Embryo Freezing?

Embryo freezing involves preserving embryos created through IVF at ultra-low temperatures using a technique called vitrification. These embryos can be stored for many years and thawed for use in future fertility treatment cycles.

Who Should Consider Embryo Freezing?

  • Couples undergoing IVF who have excess good-quality embryos
  • Couples who wish to delay embryo transfer (for medical or personal reasons)
  • Couples who want to preserve embryos for siblings in the future
  • Patients facing cancer treatment or other medical procedures that may affect fertility
  • Couples who need to postpone transfer due to ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS)

The Embryo Freezing Process

  1. IVF/ICSI cycle — Eggs are retrieved and fertilised to create embryos
  2. Embryo culture — Embryos are grown to the optimal stage (usually blastocyst, day 5-6)
  3. Selection — The best quality embryos are selected for freezing
  4. Vitrification — Embryos are rapidly frozen using advanced vitrification technology
  5. Storage — Embryos are stored in liquid nitrogen at -196°C
  6. Thawing — When ready, embryos are carefully thawed for transfer

Success Rates

Frozen embryo transfers (FET) have excellent success rates, often comparable to or even better than fresh embryo transfers. Vitrification technology has significantly improved embryo survival rates, with over 95% of embryos surviving the thaw process.

Storage Duration

Embryos can be stored for many years without loss of quality. Annual storage fees apply, and you will be contacted regularly to confirm your wishes regarding continued storage.

Egg Freezing (Oocyte Cryopreservation)

What Is Egg Freezing?

Egg freezing allows women to preserve their unfertilised eggs for future use. This gives women more control over their reproductive timeline by storing eggs at their current quality for use later in life.

Who Should Consider Egg Freezing?

  • Women who wish to delay childbearing for personal, professional, or educational reasons
  • Women facing cancer treatment or surgery that may affect their ovaries
  • Women with a family history of early menopause
  • Women with conditions that may affect future fertility (endometriosis, autoimmune disorders)
  • Women who haven’t found the right partner but want to preserve their fertility options
  • Women undergoing gender-affirming treatment

The Egg Freezing Process

  1. Consultation — Assessment of your ovarian reserve and discussion of expectations
  2. Ovarian stimulation — Hormone injections to stimulate multiple egg development (10-14 days)
  3. Monitoring — Regular ultrasound scans and blood tests to track follicle growth
  4. Egg retrieval — Minor procedure to collect eggs under sedation
  5. Vitrification — Mature eggs are rapidly frozen using advanced technology
  6. Storage — Eggs are stored in liquid nitrogen at -196°C

How Many Eggs Should Be Frozen?

The number of eggs recommended depends on your age at freezing:

  • Under 35 years: 10-15 eggs recommended
  • 35-37 years: 15-20 eggs recommended
  • 38-40 years: 20-25 eggs recommended

Multiple stimulation cycles may be needed to achieve the recommended number of eggs.

When to Use Your Frozen Eggs

When you’re ready to use your frozen eggs:

  1. Eggs are thawed
  2. Eggs are fertilised using ICSI (sperm injection)
  3. Embryos are cultured and monitored
  4. The best embryo(s) are transferred to your uterus
  5. Pregnancy test approximately two weeks later

Important Considerations

  • Egg freezing success rates decrease with age at freezing
  • Not all frozen eggs will survive thawing, fertilise, or develop into viable embryos
  • Freezing eggs earlier (ideally before 35) gives the best chance of future success
  • Egg freezing is a fertility preservation option, not a guarantee of pregnancy

Sperm Freezing (Sperm Cryopreservation)

What Is Sperm Freezing?

Sperm freezing allows men to preserve their sperm for future use in fertility treatments. Frozen sperm can be used for IUI, IVF, or ICSI procedures.

Who Should Consider Sperm Freezing?

  • Men facing cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery)
  • Men undergoing vasectomy who may want children in the future
  • Men with declining sperm quality
  • Men in high-risk occupations or military deployment
  • Men who may have difficulty producing a sample on the day of treatment
  • Transgender women before hormone therapy
  • Men using donor sperm as a backup option

The Sperm Freezing Process

  1. Consultation — Discussion of your needs and medical history
  2. Screening tests — Blood tests for infectious diseases (HIV, Hepatitis B & C)
  3. Sample collection — Sperm sample produced at the clinic or brought from home
  4. Analysis — Semen analysis to assess sperm quality
  5. Processing — Sperm is prepared and mixed with cryoprotectant
  6. Freezing — Sample is gradually frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen
  7. Storage — Sperm is stored at -196°C until needed

Sample Collection Options

  • At the clinic — Private room available for sample production
  • Home collection — Sample can be produced at home and brought to the clinic within one hour
  • Surgical retrieval — For men who cannot produce a sample naturally (PESA, TESA, or micro-TESE)

Success Rates

Sperm typically freezes well, with most samples retaining good quality after thawing. However, some reduction in motility is normal. The fertility potential of frozen sperm remains excellent when used with appropriate techniques (IUI, IVF, or ICSI).

Storage Duration

Sperm can be stored for many years without significant deterioration. Annual storage fees apply, and we will contact you regularly regarding continued storage.

Vitrification Technology

All our freezing services use vitrification, the most advanced freezing technique available:

What Is Vitrification?

Vitrification is an ultra-rapid freezing method that prevents ice crystal formation within cells. This results in:

  • Higher survival rates after thawing
  • Better preservation of cell quality
  • Improved success rates compared to older slow-freezing methods

How It Works

Cells are exposed to cryoprotectants and then plunged directly into liquid nitrogen, cooling at approximately 20,000°C per minute. This rapid cooling prevents ice crystals from forming, which could damage the cells.

Storage and Management

Our Storage Facility

  • State-of-the-art cryopreservation laboratory
  • Liquid nitrogen storage tanks with continuous monitoring
  • 24/7 alarm systems and backup power
  • Strict quality control and chain of custody procedures

Storage Fees

  • Storage fees are charged annually
  • Payment reminders are sent before each renewal period
  • Fees must be kept current to maintain storage
  • Contact us for current pricing information
  • Written consent is required for all freezing procedures
  • Consent forms specify how long samples will be stored
  • Consent includes instructions for various scenarios (separation, death)
  • Consent can be updated at any time

Frequently Asked Questions

How long can eggs/embryos/sperm be stored? Technically, frozen cells can be stored indefinitely without loss of quality. Storage duration is subject to local regulations and your personal wishes.

Is freezing safe for future babies? Yes. Extensive research shows no increased risk of birth defects or health problems in children born from frozen eggs, embryos, or sperm.

What happens if I no longer need my frozen samples? You can choose to discard them, donate them to research (where permitted), or in some cases donate embryos to other couples (where legally allowed).

Can I transport my frozen samples to another clinic? Yes. Samples can be transported to other facilities using specialised cryogenic shipping containers. We can arrange this for you.

Book a Consultation

If you’re considering fertility preservation or would like to learn more about our freezing services, our team is here to help. Contact us at info@salamivf.com or call +973 1725 5095 to schedule a consultation.