Embryo Banking: Is It Right For Me?

When considering the idea of moving forward with In Vitro Fertilization or IVF, many decisions must be made along the way. One of the first things we try to figure out with our patients is their family-building goals. 

While we aim to help our patients have a healthy pregnancy from their fertility treatment and care with us, we want to also focus on their long-term goals. For an individual or couple looking for one child, our treatment plan will often look different than a patient looking to have 3 or 4 children.

Once we have narrowed down their family-building goals, we can help make better recommendations for their care. One important option to consider is embryo banking, especially for those patients looking to have more than one child.

What is Embryo Banking During IVF Treatment

Embryo Banking results from multiple back-to-back IVF retrievals before moving ahead with an embryo transfer. This process allows our patients to “bank” as many embryos as possible before starting the transfer process, thus allowing for a greater potential for future pregnancies.

During the IVF process, there is an attrition rate with embryos from when eggs are retrieved and fertilized until days 3-7 past retrieval. Due to these attrition rates, you may start with 10-15 fertilized embryos but ultimately end up with about half becoming usable embryos for future transfer. In most cases, it’s good to have approximately 2 genetically tested embryos frozen per the number of children you would like to have.

Who is a Good Candidate for Embryo Banking

Embryo banking is an excellent decision for anyone hoping to have more than one child during their fertility journey. This is especially important for women at an advanced maternal age, as it’s essential to try and preserve the embryos while a patient is younger. As a woman ages, so do her eggs, so banking embryos now will give a couple greater chances of success in the future.

Banking embryos for future children will increase the chances of success for subsequent pregnancies and can alleviate some pressure to pursue treatment right after the birth of a child. Since the embryos have been created, there is less worry about the health of current eggs and sperm and no need to rush back into treatment.

Want to Find Out More 

Are you pursuing IVF and considering having more than one child or maybe you are in your 30s and not sure what your family planning goals are? This is a great time to schedule a consult with one of our doctors to discuss your options and if egg or embryo banking is right for you.

During your initial consult, our team reviews your health history and what goals you have with family-building so they can offer the best treatment plan recommendation based on your health and goals. 

Call us today to set up your initial consultation and meet with one of our renowned fertility doctors. Dr. Schmidt and Dr. Shah have the medical experience and compassion to help you navigate your fertility treatment options and work with you to make the best decision for your future family.

Author

Dr. Meera Shah Meera Shah, MD, FACOG, is a reproductive endocrinology and fertility specialist at NOVA IVF in Mountain View, California. Double board-certified in obstetrics and gynecology, as well as reproductive endocrinology, Dr. Shah is committed to providing the highest level of patient-centered care by combining the latest research in the field with compassionate care that allows patients to navigate through a very difficult time in their lives.