Afternoon Symposium - ESHRE Exchange Symposium - Scientific and Social Aspects of Fertility Preservation

Presenters

Scientific and Social Aspects of Fertility Preservation

Needs Assessment and Description
Recent reports by experienced laboratories demonstrated that oocyte vitrification leads to clinical results comparable to those achieved with in vitro fertilization (IVF) using fresh oocytes. Ethical and legal aspects have to be considered in the acceptability of offering vitrification to reproductively healthy women who want to cryopreserve their oocytes, and providing information to patients on risks, benefits and experience of involved institutions is mandatory. Although live births have been achieved by transplantation of slowfrozen or vitrified ovary or ovarian tissues, in vitro growth and maturation of oocytes remains the only option open for fertility restoration in cancer patients when there is a risk for reintroducing malignant cells following autotransplantation of ovarian tissue. However, the health and developmental competence of oocytes derived in vitro from either fresh or cryopreserved tissue remains the subject of much debate. This live course will focus on providing clinicians, scientists and consultants in reproductive medicine with up-to-date information and considerations on risks and benefits of preservation of fertility in cancer patients and in young women wanting to preserve their fertility to advanced ages by cryopreservation of ovarian tissue and mature, isolated oocytes.

Learning Objectives
At the conclusion of this session, participants should be able to: 

1. Discuss the characteristics, benefits and limitations of cryopreservation by vitrification, as well as ethical and legal aspects that should be considered when offering vitrification to reproductively healthy women. 
2. Review recent developments in the in vitro growth and maturation of mammalian and human oocytes for fertility preservation. 

ACGME Competency
Medical Knowledge 

TEST QUESTION:
Which of the following is a major requirement for successful vitrification of human oocytes? 

1. Slow freezing 
2. Ultra-rapid lowering of the temperature within a low volume of solution 
3. Introduction into high concentrations of cryoprotectants to promote ice-crystal formation during rapid cooling 
4. Introduction into low concentrations of cryoprotectant and seeding for small ice-crystal formation after gradual lowering of the temperature