title: Oocyte and embryo vitrification in the IVF laboratory: a comprehensive review.
abstract: Vitrification is an excellent tool in the IVF laboratory, enabling options and offering flexibility in assisted reproduction. The technology of cryopreservation has been underway since the early 20th century. The advent of vitrification has advanced the expectations in routine clinical practice in the IVF laboratory presenting impressive results both in post-thaw survival, and in clinical pregnancy rates, as well as significantly enhancing clinical results on preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD). Contradicting opinions have been published recently on the limitations and potential that vitrification has in the laboratory, as well as on the optimal approach to employ vitrification in IVF. This review aims to present a comprehensive analysis of the practical aspects of vitrification including concerns and options regarding its use on oocytes and embryos while comparing it with the traditional "slow-freezing" cryopreservation technique.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens|Assisted Conception Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Simopoulou
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Medical School, Democritus University of Thrace
authors.forename: Byron
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Asimakopoulos
authors.affiliation: Assisted Conception Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
authors.forename: Panagiotis
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bakas
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, Medical University, Plovdiv, Bulgaria
authors.forename: Nikolay
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Boyadjiev
authors.affiliation: Assisted Conception Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
authors.forename: Despoina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tzanakaki
authors.affiliation: Assisted Conception Unit, 2nd Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Aretaieion Hospital, Medical School, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens
authors.forename: George
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Creatsas
mesh_terms: D015925:Cryopreservation; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007753:Laboratories; D009865:Oocytes; D058989:Vitrification