title: Mature Oocyte Cryopreservation for Fertility Preservation.
abstract: In recent decades, advances in cancer treatment have led to a dramatic improvement in long term survival. This has led to an increasing focus on quality of life after surviving cancer treatment, with fertility being an important aspect. Given the known reproductive risks of cancer therapies, there has been a growing interest in the field of fertility preservation (also referred to as oncofertility). Mature oocyte cryopreservation is no longer considered experimental and has become a realistic option for reproductive aged women prior to undergoing cancer treatment. Additionally, as cryopreservation techniques improve, mature oocyte cryopreservation is increasing being marketed to healthy women without cancer wishing to delay child bearing, also termed "social egg freezing". This chapter provides a review of the current technology, use, and outcomes of mature oocyte cryopreservation. It also outlines the ethical debate surrounding social egg freezing and directions for future research in female fertility preservation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada. liang3@ualberta.ca.
authors.forename: Tina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Faculty of Medicine and Dentistry, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Motan
mesh_terms: D018070:Biological Specimen Banks / Q000941:ethics; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility / Q000502:physiology; D059247:Fertility Preservation / Q000941:ethics / Q000379:methods*; D005615:Freezing; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000534:rehabilitation; D009865:Oocytes / Q000166:cytology / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000502:physiology; D009866:Oogenesis / Q000502:physiology; D017741:Survivors; D058989:Vitrification
chemical_list: D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide
keywords: Egg freezing; Fertility preservation; Oocyte cryopreservation; Vitrification