Intended Parents

How Are Frozen Embryos Stored?


You may need to freeze your embryos if you’re struggling with or are not able to become pregnant naturally. Freezing embryos gives you the opportunity to preserve your fertility

Knowing how frozen embryos are stored can provide peace of mind, as it ensures your embryos remain safe until they are ready for transfer. 

Contact us online to get connected with a fertility clinic orfind out more about the success rates with frozen embryo transfers with this article.

This article will break down everything about how frozen embryos are stored, from the freezing process itself to storage practices and cost.

How Are Frozen Embryos Stored?

Embryos are frozen through vitrification, a fast freezing process. Here’s a look at the process:

Where Are Frozen Embryos Stored?

Frozen embryos are stored in conditions that allow them to remain frozen and viable for use once they are thawed.

Because of the long-term viability that comes with cryopreservation, there needs to be a place where these specialized tanks with your embryos live.

There are hospital facilities and fertility clinics that store and monitor frozen embryos as well as cryobanks, specialized storage facilities specifically for this purpose as they are equipped with the technology to sustain the best storage conditions.

The tanks filled with liquid nitrogen have monitoring systems that trigger alerts if the temperature inside the tanks drops below a certain threshold.

How Long Can A Frozen Embryo Be Stored?

One of the most beneficial aspects of using frozen embryos is the ability to save them for future use.

Guidelines from the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) say that embryos preserved through vitrification can be maintained indefinitely as long as they remain frozen.

A set of twins was born in 2022 whose embryos were frozen for 30 years.

What Happens to Unused Frozen Embryos?

If you are done growing your family or no longer need unused frozen embryos, your options include donating them to another individual or couple looking to grow their family, donating them to science, disposal or continuing to store them and deciding at a later date.

What Is the Cost to Store Frozen Embryos?

That cost is determined by the professional you work with. It can cost anywhere from $350-$1,500 per year, depending on factors such as:

  • Contract length
  • Facility location
  • Inflation
  • Increased security measures

Although they can be stored indefinitely, factors such as cost may affect how long you decide to store them.

If freezing embryos is right for your situation, a surrogate can carry these embryos if you are unable to. Fill out our online contact form to get a head start on the process or surrogacy read more about the frozen embryo transfer timeline.

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