London Women’s Clinic, one of the UK’s leading IVF clinics, has unveiled a 15-year study on the success of IVF using eggs that were frozen and later thawed, a method not previously recommended by the HFEA.
The study, published in the peer-reviewed journal Reproductive Biomedicine Online, conclusively demonstrates that egg freezing is a dependable option for women looking to extend their fertility or delay pregnancy.
Once considered less reliable and even criticised as potentially unethical, the study has shown that egg freezing yields consistent and predictable results comparable to 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,’ stated 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 HFEA, the UK’s fertility regulator, reported a significant increase in egg freezing in its 2022 annual treatment trends report, with an 81% rise in egg freezing treatments recorded that year.
The HFEA attributed the surge in egg storage cycles to advancements in freezing technology, particularly the vitrification process. Improved survival rates, the HFEA noted, have bolstered women’s confidence in freezing eggs.
The London Women’s Clinic study revealed that among patients who had frozen and thawed their eggs, one in four went on to have a baby, with the success rate rising to one in three when all embryo transfers were included. This rate increased to 57% for those who had stored their eggs before the age of 35. These results are on par with those of standard IVF using fresh eggs, taking into account age, egg quality, and egg quantity.
‘It thus seems reasonable to conclude,’ added 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.’
