The Present and Future of Embryo Cryopreservation

Embryo freezing technologies have widely been used in human IVF practice and in animal industry. In this chapter, we will review the development of embryo freezing technology and the application of the method, which will concentrate on discussion of the arguments in favor of and against freezing, as well as the latest results of success rates, comparing them with the other basic assisted reproductive technologies methods. Then, we will present our viewpoint for the future application of embryo freezing methods and their place in reproductive medicine. The analysis of facts and suggestions should enable researchers to rethink the position of cryobiology in reproductive medicine. It should be considered that the method of cryopreservation is not only a technology for storing embryos but also a method of embryo treatment that can potentially improve the success rates in infertile couples. There is also a theory that describes the “treatment” effect of freezing an embryo, which may explain the higher success rates of frozen embryo transfer (FET) compared to fresh embryo transfer (ET). The authors of the “Theory about the Embryo-Cryo treatment” believe that freezing and thawing could activate endogenous survival and repair mechanisms in preimplantation embryos.