Cook unveils new cryogenic technology for IVF

Cook’s women’s health division has unveiled a new technology for the preservation of oocytes, cells used in IVF treatment .

The new technology is described as a “simple” system for cryopreservation of oocytes, which allows indefinite storage for women facing sterility problems or cancer treatments that could render them infertile. Because the freezing of embryos is prohibited in some countries, unfertilised oocytes are used.

Previously, the large size of oocytes prevented their successful freezing, as they were more prone to damage by ice crystals than embryos. However, the new technology lessens the possible damage to oocytes.

Christina Anne, Cook’s Global women’s health SBU leader, remarked: ” Apart from the obvious applications directly in IVF for storing the egg at the unfertilized stage, Cook’s new cryopreservation media also offers improved results for anonymous oocyte donation programmes, as well as providing a potential solution for the complications originating from the long-term storage of embryos, issues regarding ownership or when embryo transfers might be too dangerous to the mother.”

According to the UK’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), one in seven couples have difficulty conceiving. For women under 35, 28.2 per cent of IVF treatments are successful using fresh eggs. However, this falls to 14.1 per cent for donor insemination treatment. It says one per cent of UK births are the result of IVF and donor insemination.

There are 85 HFEA-approved clinics in the UK.

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