Monday, March 31, 2008

Snowbabies, etc...

Snowbabies, Grandsickles, Neice and Nephbrios...whatever you want to call them...we have 11 of 'em!! Our official count is in. 11 embryos have been biopsied and vitrified. Vitrified is a new thing they are doing to freeze the embryos. Typically, when freezing embryos in the U.S., they will take the embryo down in stages until it is frozen. My doctor went to China to research this new technology in freezing. I believe the lab at CCRM is the only one in the states that uses vitrification at this time. The embryos are basically "flash frozen" (think of your frozen veggies..."flash frozen for freshness") rather than taken down in stages. The "old" way usually has about a 70% survival rate when they thaw the embryos. With vitrification, there is greater than 90% survival rate with many couples not losing a single embryo. And after they are thawed, they look just as good as embryos from a fresh cycle! The biopsies have been sent to a lab in New Jersey. Currently, they are the only lab doing Micro-Array, the genetic testing we are having done. The results should take about 5 weeks. I will start depot-lupron tomorrow or the next day. So we're cookin' (as Uncle Neal would have said!).

3 comments:

Beth said...

Yea for 11 snowbabies!!! It amazes me how much more advanced The Wiz is in IVF technology. I'm so excited for you!!!

Christan Coogle said...

Lisa...this new technique is amazing...how awesome that you are going to a place that is using the most current/best practices...i can not wait until your transfer!!!

Christi said...

WOW! 11 snowbabies is great! congrats and thanks for your encouragement!

Christi