MedTrace Logo

Vitrification Versus Slow Cooling of Human Cleavage Stage Embryos

NCT00886431 · Status: TERMINATED · Phase: NA · Type: INTERVENTIONAL · Enrollment: 146

Last updated 2014-12-02

No results posted yet for this study

Summary

Human embryos can be preserved for later transfers by freezing. Traditionally the slow cooling method has been used. About 70% of the embryos remain fully intact after thawing. However, the remaining 30% of the embryos become (partially) damaged, and this freezing damage reduces their chance to implant. Recently an ultra rapid freezing method, called vitrification has been developed. During vitrification no damaging ice crystals are formed and the embryo freezes in a glass like state.

It appears that the freezing damage is reduced when embryos are vitrified. Observational studies in humans indicate that embryos are successfully preserved by vitrification, as indicated by promising pregnancy rates following thawing. However, the effectiveness of vitrification in relation to slow cooling with respect to pregnancy rates has so far not been evaluated by a randomised, controlled trial. The aim of this study is to investigate whether vitrification significantly improves embryo survival and ongoing pregnancy rates when compared to embryos frozen by slow cooling.

Conditions

Interventions

OTHER

embryo vitrification

Ultra rapid cooling of embryos by immersion in liquid nitrogen. The formation of potentially damaging ice crystals is prevented by briefly incubating the embryos in high concentrations of a mix of cryoprotectants.

Sponsors & Collaborators

  • Vrije Universiteit Brussel

    collaborator OTHER

  • UMC Utrecht

    lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

  • Bart C Fauser, Prof.,MD,PhD · UMC Utrecht

Study Design

Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE
Model
PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age
18 Years
Max Age
35 Years
Sex
ALL
Healthy Volunteers
Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start
2009-05-31
Primary Completion
2012-05-31

Countries

  • Belgium
  • Netherlands

Study Locations

More Related Trials

Entities

Diseases

Read the full study record

This page highlights key information. For complete eligibility criteria, study locations, investigator contacts, and the full protocol, visit the original record on ClinicalTrials.gov.

View NCT00886431 on ClinicalTrials.gov