Last Updated on: 12th August 2024, 05:27 pm
The London Women’s Clinic, one of the UK’s most established IVF centres, has released findings from a 15-year study on the effectiveness of IVF using eggs that have been frozen and later thawed, a practice previously not recommended by the HFEA.
A major study, now published in the peer-reviewed journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online, has proven that egg freezing is a reliable option for women who wish to extend their fertility or postpone pregnancy.
Once viewed as less dependable and even considered potentially unethical, the study demonstrated consistent and predictable outcomes that are as effective as traditional methods, based on data from over 2,280 patients.
‘When our results are considered alongside those from other large centres, in the USA, we have a body of evidence which is consistent in its findings and reassuring for patients,’ said Professor Nick Macklon, Medical Director of the London Women’s Clinic and an author of the study. ‘The consistency of the results suggests that the doubts still commonly expressed about the reliability of egg freezing are misplaced.’
The UK fertility regulator, the HFEA, noted a significant increase in egg freezing in its 2022 annual report on treatment trends, with an 81% rise in egg freezing treatments during that year.
The HFEA attributed the rise in egg storage cycles to improvements in freezing techniques, particularly the rapid-freeze technology known as vitrification. Improved survival rates, the HFEA reported, have increased women’s confidence in freezing eggs.
The London Women’s Clinic study showed that among patients who had frozen and thawed their eggs, one in four had a baby, with the success rate rising to one in three when all embryo transfers were considered. This rate increased to 57% for those who had stored their eggs before the age of 35. These results are comparable to those of conventional IVF using fresh eggs, when factors such as age, egg quality, and egg quantity are considered.
‘It thus seems reasonable to conclude,’ said Professor Macklon, ‘that based on our results and those of other studies, egg freezing and thawing can provide a very real opportunity for women to achieve pregnancy and live birth at a time of their choosing.’
