Egg Bank

Fertility Preservation

Egg Bank

Egg Bank

30 Egg Bank

Social egg freezing refers to a medical procedure where a woman’s eggs are frozen and preserved to allow for greater flexibility in planning pregnancy and childbirth in the future. The need for social egg freezing has become more significant in recent years as more women are pursuing careers and delaying marriage, leading to an increase in the average age of childbirth. A woman’s fertility (the ability to conceive) gradually decreases with age, and this decline becomes more pronounced after the age of 35. Therefore, women who wish to conceive later in life may face lower chances of pregnancy due to decreased ovarian function.
Social egg freezing involves freezing and preserving healthy eggs at a younger age, especially if childbirth is expected to be delayed. When the woman wishes to conceive in the future, she can attempt pregnancy using the frozen eggs, which offers a higher likelihood of successful pregnancy.

Candidates for the Procedure

Cases where signs of early menopause may appear or occur due to genetic factors or other causes
Women in their late 30s to early 40s who delay marriage due to social or professional commitments,
or those who wish to freeze their eggs while healthy for future use when they desire pregnancy
Cancer patients: In cases where ovarian function loss is a concern due to chemotherapy or chemical treatments
Cases where ovarian removal is necessary due to surgical procedures
When it is impossible to collect sperm after egg retrieval

Social Egg Freezing Procedure

After the start of menstruation, ovulation stimulation injections are administered for an average of 6 to 9 days. Two days after the completion of the injections, an egg retrieval procedure is performed to collect the eggs from the body, which are then frozen.

Egg Retrieval This procedure involves using a needle to aspirate eggs from the ovaries while monitoring with a vaginal ultrasound. It is performed under sedation, so there is no pain, and the procedure typically takes about 10 minutes.

Egg Freezing and Thawing Process (Vitrification with Liquid Nitrogen)

Advantages of Cha Hospital's Egg Bank

Oocyte Cryopreservation System Using Slush Nitrogen (SN2) Vitrification Method

Cha Hospital developed the world’s first oocyte cryopreservation auxiliary method using slush nitrogen in 2005. This method prevents the formation of ice crystals within the cells and significantly reduces the time required for freezing, resulting in minimal damage to the oocytes.

State-of-the-Art Long-Term Storage System Automatic refilling and 24-hour monitoring with the latest equipment.
High-Level Freezing Technology and Pregnancy Success Rates Using Frozen Oocytes.

Cha Hospital: The First in Korea to Achieve Successful Birth Using Frozen Eggs Preserved Through the Egg Bank Successful Egg Thawing 9 Years Ago: Longest record for reusing frozen eggs.

Diagnosed with chronic myeloid leukemia at age 22 in 2001.
Frozen 7 eggs before starting chemotherapy.
Underwent radiation therapy and bone marrow transplant.
Hormone therapy to maintain ovarian and uterine function.
Declared leukemia-free in 2006, married in 2009.
In 2010, thawed the frozen eggs and performed in vitro fertilization.
Created 2 embryos and implanted them in the uterus.
Gave birth to a son in July 2011.

Awards for CHA Hospital's Egg Freezing Technology 2005 Awarded Best Paper in the Video Presentation Category at the 61st American/Canadian Fertility Society Conference
“Development of a New Concept in Egg Freezing Preservation Using Slush Nitrogen” 2005 Awarded Best Video Presentation at the 56th American Society for Reproductive Medicine Conference
“Introduction of Vitrification Freezing Method Using Metal Grids and the World's First Successful Pregnancy and Delivery” 1998 Awarded Best Poster at the 54th American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the 16th World Congress on Fertility and Sterility
“Study on Fertilization and Blastocyst Formation Through Vitrification Freezing Method”