The Manager of the Embryology Unit at Instituto Bernabeu addresses oocyte vitrification on the Master’s Course in Human Reproduction at Complutense University

The Manager of the Embryology Unit at Instituto Bernabeu, Dr Jorge Ten, has given a lecture on the Master’s Course in Human Reproduction organised by Complutense University in Madrid (UCM) and the Spanish Fertility Society (SEF). The doctor has been actively involved in course for over a decade. Dr Ten addressed the issue of oocyte vitrification. Instituto Bernabeu is a groundbreaking clinic in this field with over fifteen years of experience of vitrification of both gametes and embryos. Practices such as these need to be performed under a robust vitrification programme and by experienced embryologists. The Master’s Course, in which Instituto Bernabeu plays an active role, trains students in highly specialised reproductive medicine skills and updates their scientific knowledge.

Oocyte preservation is increasingly used by young women who are aware of the fact that ovarian reserve has an expiry date but would like to be mothers in the future. The technique is also performed at Instituto Bernabeu when women are scheduled to have cancer treatment that could have a negative impact on their fertility; when patients have poor ovarian response so that gathered oocytes can give them a greater chance of getting pregnant; on patients with endometriosis who wish to preserve their fertility; and also for ethical and moral reasons when in vitro fertilisation treatment patients do not wish to freeze embryos.

Instituto Bernabeu is also a leading entity in the field of embryo vitrification thanks to its freezing programme which has a survival rate of 98%. One of the advantages of these practices has been a reduction in the number of multiple pregnancies. On average, only 1.2 embryos are transferred.