Northwest Center for Reproductive Sciences
For Immediate Release
Seattle woman achieves a milestone frozen egg pregnancy and term delivery through her care at the Northwest Center for Reproductive Sciences.
Northwest Center for Reproductive Sciences, one of the Pacific Northwest’s leading and most successful fertility centers is pleased to announce the region’s first delivery of a pregnancy resulting from frozen oocytes. This pregnancy resulted from the fertilization of oocytes (eggs) that were frozen using the latest technology in cryopreservation and the transfer of the resulting embryo into the mother. Though success using frozen oocytes has been infrequent, improvements in technology have better defined safe and effective techniques to freeze oocytes. “Once considered experimental” said Gerard Letterie, DO, a reproductive endocrinologist at NCRS and the recipient of a grant to study oocyte freezing, “the techniques have improved over the past five years. With these improvements, they are ready for mainstream clinical care.”
“Our goals in oocyte freezing are to remove any water from the oocyte and replace it with compounds that will protect the genetic material while the oocyte is preserved in the frozen state,” said Klaus Wiemer, PhD, laboratory director at NCRS and an expert in cryopreservation techniques. “This technique virtually assures that the majority of oocytes will survive the freeze-thaw process….and result in viable embryos with high pregnancy rates.”
These improvements have translated into an effective option for women who want to preserve their fertility in the face of advancing age or prior to chemotherapy. This latter group is of particular interest to Letterie who has studied the impact of various chemotherapeutic agents on oocyte quality and ovarian function. “Cancer patients face the double threat of their primary disease but also the potential loss of their reproductive function. Oocyte freezing is a step forward, a way of planning a long, productive and disease free life…that includes children.”
NCRS offers oocyte freezing to patients who elect to preserve their fertility or cancer patients managed in conjunction with their oncology team.
For more information, contact:
Gerard Letterie, DO
206-262-1101
This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
www.nwreprosci.com
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Seattle woman achieves a milestone pregnancy |
