Elective oocyte freezing for the preservation of fertility

Oocyte cryopreservation has recently emerged as an option for women to preserve their fertility for medical (e.g. treatable malignancy) or elective indications (e.g. advancing age). This report describes an IRBapproved study of over 200 oocyte cryopreservation cycles at one center. Patients presenting for oocyte cryopreservation (January 2005 to 2010) were analyzed for day 3 follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), basal antral follicle count (BAFC), gonadotropin usage and the number of oocytes retrieved and cryopreserved. New patient consultations were performed on 516 women, of whom 175 (34%) proceeded to initiate a total of 233 cryopreservation cycles. Twenty-four cycles were cancelled (10%) after starting follicular stimulation due to poor ovarian response or self-withdrawal of the patients. Patients whose cycles were cancelled demonstrated a higher Day 3 FSH and a lower BAFC than patients who completed cycles (p < 0.01). In the 209 completed cycles, the most important predictors of a successful cycle included BAFC (r = 0.36), FSH (r = –0.25) and age (r = –0.18) with the mean number of oocytes cryopreserved at 13.6 ± 8.8. Information about long-term fertility preservation must reach both patients and health care providers so that more women can be educated about the benefits of proactive early physiological reproductive assessment and possible interventions available.