Frozen eggs versus frozen embryos

The ethical question of what to do with the frozen embryos left over from IVF may become a non-issue if progress continues in the use of frozen eggs. Some fertility centers are reporting excellent results using eggs frozen after collection but prior to fertilization. West Coast Fertility Centers of Fountain Valley, California claim a 60% pregancy success rate utilizing frozen eggs. That's quite a claim, but that's what they say in this press release. Perhaps they are stacking the deck a little by using frozen eggs only in cases where all other success rate factors are very high.

Regardless, the good news is that a number of centers are using frozen eggs now and the practice could soon become standard, eliminating the ethical dilemma of frozen embryo disposal. There are also other advantages, such as facilitating the use of donor eggs since they can be collected and stored then used when a patient needs them.