What is cryo IVF and how does cryopreservation change the way fertility treatment works?

Cryo IVF refers to the use of cryopreservation – the freezing and storage of embryos, oocytes, or sperm at cryogenic temperatures – as an integral part of the in-vitro fertilisation process. It has fundamentally changed the way IVF treatment is planned, delivered, and experienced by patients over the past two decades, and the shift from fresh embryo transfer as the default approach towards frozen embryo transfer as the primary or preferred route represents one of the most significant clinical evolutions in reproductive medicine.

The core mechanism of cryo IVF is vitrification. The ultra-rapid cooling technique plunges embryos and oocytes into liquid nitrogen at rates fast enough to prevent ice crystal formation, producing the glassy amorphous state in which cellular structure is preserved intact. Post-thaw embryo survival rates with vitrification consistently reach 80 to 95 per cent in accredited IVF laboratories.

The global cryopreservation for IVF market was valued at USD 504.58 million in 2025 and is projected to grow at a CAGR of 10.60% during the forecast period of 2025 to 2034, reaching USD 1.24 billion by 2034, reflecting the accelerating integration of cryopreservation into standard IVF practice worldwide.

The clinical advantages of cryo IVF include the ability to freeze all embryos in stimulated cycles where OHSS risk is elevated, the opportunity to complete preimplantation genetic testing before transfer, the flexibility to transfer embryos in a subsequent cycle when the uterine environment is optimised, and the ability to store surplus embryos for future family planning without repeat stimulation.

For fertility preservation patients – those freezing eggs or embryos before cancer treatment, or electively to preserve reproductive potential – cryo IVF is the entire clinical service. The quality of the cryopreservation process and the storage infrastructure determines whether that preserved material remains viable when the patient is ready to use it, which may be years or decades later.

Cryolab supplies the cryogenic storage vessels, vitrification consumables, and dry shippers that support cryo IVF programmes globally. Browse the storage vessel range or contact the Cryolab team.