title: Nitrogen vapor shipment of vitrified oocytes: time for caution.
abstract: Oocyte cryopreservation for fertility preservation, in both medical and elective situations, has significantly increased as freezing technology has improved. Slow freezing techniques demonstrated ∼ 50-80% survival of mature oocytes, however vitrification with ∼ 97% survival has become the preferred method for oocyte cryopreservation around the world. Our work investigated the effect of transporting cryopreserved oocytes to and from a long-term storage facility. Our findings demonstrate that extra caution should be practiced for vitrified oocytes, especially when handling and transferring between shipping and long-term cryopreservation storage containers.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Associates of New York, New York, New York 10022, USA.
authors.forename: Casey A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: McDonald
authors.forename: Lora
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Valluzo
authors.forename: Lesley
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Chuang
authors.forename: Flora
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Poleshchuk
authors.forename: Alan B
authors.initials: AB
authors.lastname: Copperman
authors.forename: Jason
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barritt
mesh_terms: D002470:Cell Survival; D015925:Cryopreservation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009584:Nitrogen; D009865:Oocytes; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects; D013048:Specimen Handling / Q000009:adverse effects; D013997:Time Factors; D014186:Transportation; D058989:Vitrification; D014835:Volatilization
chemical_list: D009584:Nitrogen