Elective fertility preservation: a national database study on trends in oocyte cryopreservation and oocyte utilization over a 5- to 7-year follow-up period

Since the availability of oocyte cryopreservation reporting for fertility preservation only, planned oocyte cryopreservation has increased exponentially. Mean age at the time of oocyte retrieval has decreased, reflecting interest in the procedure among younger patients, but there has been minimal change in distribution by race/ethnicity and geographic region. Despite the increase in oocyte cryopreservation, return for oocyte warming over a 5- to 7-year follow-up period was low, with a substantial portion of cryopreserved oocytes remaining unused. Patients who were older at the time of oocyte cryopreservation were more likely to return and had a shorter interval between oocyte cryopreservation and warming. Although rates of oocyte warming are low, the outcomes for patients who do return to use cryopreserved oocytes are reassuring. Most patients have a usable embryo after oocyte warming and the live birth rates are reassuring and demonstrate an expected age-related decline. However, given the low return rate, the yield on a per-planned oocyte cryopreservation cycle is very low.