Oocyte cryopreservation and live birth rates

Based on a recent study, published in Fertility and Sterility in July 2022 (Druckenmiller Cascante et al., 2022), the age at cryopreservation and the number of mature oocytes thawed were predictive of live birth. 

The age at which patients cryopreserve their oocytes plays a role on the final live birth rate. Patients aged <38 years at the first oocyte cryopreservation had a final live birth rate of 51%, which was higher than that of patients aged 38-40 and ≥41 years at the first oocyte cryopreservation (p≤0.009). This means that the younger the patient is at the time of oocyte cryopreservation, the higher the chance of live birth is. 

The number of mature oocytes thawed affects the final live birth rate. For instance, patients who had less than 10 mature oocytes thawed, had a lower final live birth rate than those who had more than 10 mature oocytes thawed. Patients younger than 38 years old who had more than 20 mature oocytes thawed, had a higher live birth rate than those who had less than 20 oocytes thawed. 

Conclusions: 

The younger the patient was at the time of oocyte cryopreservation, the higher the chance of live birth. In addition, patients with more than twenty mature oocytes thawed had higher live birth rates than those with fewer oocytes thawed.