Midland Fertility Services, Aldridge, UK.
Reprod Biomed Online. 2011 Sep;23(3):334-40. doi: 10.1016/j.rbmo.2011.05.010. Epub 2011 May 27.
Until recently there was little to offer young women with cancer facing chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery and the probability of premature menopause and sterility. The first 'frozen egg' baby was born in 1986, but success rates were so low that egg freezing was neglected. Three technological developments in assisted reproduction treatment (intracytoplasmic sperm injection, dehydro-cryoprotectants and vitrification) have transformed this picture and now young women with frozen eggs have the same probability of a live birth per embryo transfer as women undergoing conventional IVF. For many women it is not cancer but the passage of time that denies them a chance of motherhood. Social, educational and financial pressures often lead them to delay starting a family until their late thirties, by which time the chance of success is compromised by low fecundity rates and an increased risk of miscarriage if they become pregnant. Donor eggs are not an option for many because of supply constraints and ethical concerns. Freezing a woman's eggs at age 30 literally 'freezes in time' her fertility potential and gives her the chance of a healthy pregnancy at a time of her choosing. The role of oocyte cryopreservation in the context of social egg freezing is discussed. Until recently there was little we could offer young women with cancer facing the chemotherapy, radiotherapy or surgery that could save their lives and the certainty of premature menopause and sterility. The first frozen-egg baby was born in 1986, but the success rate (100 eggs to produce one baby) was so low that egg freezing was neglected for years. Three technological developments in assisted reproduction treatment (intracytoplasmic sperm injection, dehydro-cryoprotectants and vitrification) have transformed this picture and now young women who have cryopreserved eggs can be offered the same chance of a live birth per embryo transfer as women undergoing conventional IVF treatment. For many women today it is not cancer but the simple passage of time that robs them of their chance of motherhood. Social, educational, emotional and financial pressures often lead them to delay trying to start a family until their late thirties, by which time the chance of success is very low. Women at age 40 face a 40% chance of miscarriage if they can get pregnant at all and by the age of 45, the risk of miscarriage is 75%. Donor eggs are not an option for many because of supply constraints and ethical and cultural concerns. Freezing a woman's eggs at age 30 literally 'freezes in time' her fertility potential and gives her the chance of a healthy pregnancy at a time of her choosing. This paper discusses the role of oocyte cryopreservation in the context of social egg freezing.
直到最近，对于面临化疗、放疗或手术的年轻女性，以及那些面临提前绝经和不育风险的女性来说，几乎没有什么可以提供的。第一个“冷冻卵子”婴儿于 1986 年出生，但成功率如此之低，以至于卵子冷冻技术被忽视了。辅助生殖治疗中的三项技术发展（胞浆内精子注射、脱水冷冻保护剂和玻璃化）改变了这一局面，现在，冷冻卵子的年轻女性在胚胎移植中活产的几率与接受常规体外受精的女性相同。对于许多女性来说，是时间的流逝而不是癌症，剥夺了她们成为母亲的机会。社会、教育和经济压力往往导致她们直到三十多岁才开始组建家庭，而此时，由于生育能力下降和怀孕后流产风险增加，成功的机会受到了影响。由于供应限制和伦理问题，许多人无法选择使用捐赠的卵子。对于许多女性来说，在社会卵子冷冻的背景下，冷冻卵子可以“冻结”她们的生育能力，并让她们有机会在自己选择的时间怀上健康的孩子。本文讨论了卵母细胞冷冻在社会卵子冷冻中的作用。直到最近，对于面临化疗、放疗或手术的年轻女性，以及那些面临提前绝经和不育风险的女性，几乎没有什么可以提供的。第一个“冷冻卵子”婴儿于 1986 年出生，但成功率如此之低，以至于卵子冷冻技术被忽视了。辅助生殖治疗中的三项技术发展（胞浆内精子注射、脱水冷冻保护剂和玻璃化）改变了这一局面，现在，冷冻卵子的年轻女性在胚胎移植中活产的几率与接受常规体外受精的女性相同。对于许多女性来说，是时间的流逝而不是癌症，剥夺了她们成为母亲的机会。社会、教育和经济压力往往导致她们直到三十多岁才开始组建家庭，而此时，由于生育能力下降和怀孕后流产风险增加，成功的机会受到了影响。由于供应限制和伦理问题，许多人无法选择使用捐赠的卵子。对于许多女性来说，在社会卵子冷冻的背景下，冷冻卵子可以“冻结”她们的生育能力，并让她们有机会在自己选择的时间怀上健康的孩子。本文讨论了卵母细胞冷冻在社会卵子冷冻中的作用。
