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The secret to increasing IVF success rate discovered
Last reviewed: 01.07.2025
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Scientists have discovered that freezing embryos for in vitro fertilization can actually benefit them.
An analysis of the results of 11 studies involving 37,000 women who became pregnant through in vitro fertilization shows that freezing embryos has a surprising effect.
Until now, doctors used the method of fertilizing an egg outside the mother's body and, having made sure of the viability of the embryo, implanted it into the woman's uterus. The embryos remaining after the procedure were usually frozen in case the woman decided to resort to this procedure again after an unsuccessful first attempt or in order to give birth to another child.
During the first IVF procedure, priority was always given to "fresh" embryos that had not been frozen. Doctors considered them the most suitable for fertilization.
However, a group of scientists from the University of Aberdeen, based on an analysis of the data obtained, claim that the process of bearing and the course of pregnancy are significantly better if the mother was implanted with an embryo that was frozen and then thawed.
According to the data obtained, when "frozen" embryos were implanted into patients, the risk of bleeding throughout the entire pregnancy period was reduced by 30%, the risk of premature birth by 20%, and the risk of death of the child after birth by the same amount. In addition, the probability of the birth of a baby with insufficient weight was also reduced by 30-40%.
As for congenital malformations, experts have not found an increase in the number of such children compared to those born from fertilization of “fresh” embryos.
It is noteworthy that the children who most often ended up in the intensive care unit were those whose mothers had been “implanted” with a “fresh” embryo.
Scientists call the results of the research very encouraging. If the success of fertilizing women with frozen embryos is confirmed, then such a procedure can be considered absolutely safe for both the child and the mother.