Gamete freezing is a process at Infertility Hospital in Karimnagar that preserves a person's ability to have biological children in the future. It involves collecting and freezing either sperm (for men) or eggs (for women) at extremely low temperatures. This cryopreservation halts the aging process of the cells, allowing them to be stored for extended periods, sometimes for many years. The frozen gametes can then be thawed later and used in assisted reproductive technologies like in-vitro fertilization (IVF) to achieve pregnancy. Gamete freezing is often considered by individuals facing medical treatments that may impact fertility, those who want to delay parenthood, or transgender individuals undergoing hormone therapy or surgery.
Gamete freezing, either sperm or eggs, is a process involving several key steps to preserve reproductive cells for future use. First, the gametes are collected. For sperm, this is typically via ejaculation. For eggs, it involves hormonal stimulation to produce multiple follicles followed by a surgical retrieval procedure. Next, the collected gametes are assessed for viability and quality. Then, a cryoprotective solution is added to the gametes. This solution helps prevent ice crystal formation during freezing, which can damage the cells. The gametes are then slowly cooled to very low temperatures, typically using controlled-rate freezing or vitrification (a rapid freezing method). Finally, the frozen gametes are stored in liquid nitrogen tanks at temperatures below -196°C (-321°F) until they are needed for assisted reproductive technologies like IVF at Best Infertility Clinic in Karimnagar.
Frozen gametes (sperm and eggs) can be stored for many years, often for decades, without significant degradation in quality. The exact lifespan of frozen gametes is not definitively known, but successful pregnancies have been achieved using sperm frozen for over 40 years and eggs frozen for over 10 years. The duration of storage is primarily limited by the long-term viability of the storage facility's infrastructure and the ongoing costs of maintaining the cryopreservation. While longer storage times don't appear to inherently harm the gametes, some clinics may have internal policies or legal regulations that limit the maximum storage period. For more details contact Dr. Nayani Enjamoori at 9e Fertility.