Embryo Freezing in Nepal: Preserving Hope, One Cell at a Time
In a world where reproductive choices are increasingly guided by personal, medical, and professional factors, embryo freezing (embryo cryopreservation) has become a powerful tool for fertility preservation. This technology allows individuals and couples to preserve fertilized embryos for future use — offering hope, flexibility, and peace of mind.
In Nepal, embryo freezing is now offered at advanced fertility clinics like Vardhan Fertility Centre, bringing global-standard reproductive technologies within reach for Nepali families. Whether due to medical necessity or life planning, embryo freezing offers an effective path to parenthood when the time is right.
What is Embryo Freezing?
Embryo freezing involves fertilizing a woman’s egg with sperm to create embryos, which are then frozen and stored at ultra-low temperatures for future use. These embryos can be thawed later and implanted in the uterus using In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
Unlike egg freezing (which stores unfertilized eggs), embryo freezing is done after fertilization and is often used by:
- Couples undergoing IVF
- Individuals facing medical treatments
- Couples wanting to delay pregnancy for personal or career reasons
Who Can Benefit from Embryo Freezing?
1. Couples Undergoing IVF
Many couples undergoing IVF produce multiple embryos. Rather than discarding unused ones, they are frozen for future IVF cycles — saving time, cost, and effort.
2. Cancer Patients or Those Undergoing Fertility-Harming Treatments
For individuals or couples facing chemotherapy, radiation, or surgery, freezing embryos before treatment can preserve their chance of biological parenthood.
3. Couples Delaying Pregnancy
Couples not ready to have children but worried about age-related fertility decline often choose to create and freeze embryos for future use.
4. Surrogacy Preparation
Embryos can be frozen and later transferred to a surrogate in Nepal where surrogacy is done under regulated conditions.
The Process of Embryo Freezing
At centers like Vardhan Fertility Centre, embryo freezing is conducted with expertise, precision, and international-grade equipment. The entire process includes:
1. Ovarian Stimulation and Egg Retrieval
The female partner undergoes hormonal stimulation for about 10–12 days to produce multiple mature eggs. These eggs are retrieved through a minor surgical procedure.
2. Fertilization
The retrieved eggs are fertilized with sperm from the male partner (or a donor, if required) using conventional IVF or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI).
3. Embryo Culture
Fertilized eggs are observed in a lab for 3–5 days, until they develop into high-quality embryos (blastocysts).
4. Freezing (Vitrification)
Healthy embryos are selected and frozen using a technique called vitrification, which rapidly cools the embryos and prevents ice crystals that could damage the cells.
How Long Can Embryos Be Stored?
Embryos can be safely stored for up to 10–15 years or longer without compromising quality. The success of future pregnancy depends more on the age of the woman at the time the embryos were created rather than the duration of storage.
Success Rates of Embryo Freezing
Embryo freezing has a higher success rate compared to egg freezing because the eggs have already undergone the fertilization process and have developed into viable embryos.
Key Factors Affecting Success:
- Age of the woman at the time of egg retrieval
- Embryo quality and the stage of development (day 3 vs. day 5 blastocysts)
- Laboratory standards and freezing techniques
- Endometrial preparation at the time of embryo transfer
At modern clinics in Nepal, frozen embryo transfer (FET) success rates range between 45%–60%, depending on individual cases.
Why Embryo Freezing is Gaining Popularity in Nepal
As reproductive awareness increases across Nepal, more couples are embracing fertility preservation. Major cities like Kathmandu, Pokhara, and Biratnagar are witnessing a rise in IVF treatments, with embryo freezing becoming a standard part of the IVF journey.
Clinics like Vardhan Fertility Centre are leading the charge by offering:
- World-class embryology labs
- Skilled IVF specialists
- Affordable freezing and storage options
- Personalized counseling and privacy
This growth reflects a changing cultural mindset, where couples want more control over their reproductive choices while also navigating societal, career, and health-related challenges.
Costs of Embryo Freezing in Nepal
While costs vary by clinic and individual treatment plans, general pricing includes:
- Ovarian stimulation + egg retrieval + fertilization: NPR 200,000 – NPR 300,000
- Embryo freezing & first-year storage: NPR 25,000 – NPR 40,000
- Annual storage fee (after first year): NPR 10,000 – NPR 20,000
- Embryo transfer (when used later): NPR 50,000 – NPR 80,000
Compared to Western countries, this makes Nepal one of the most affordable destinations for embryo freezing with quality standards on par with international benchmarks.
Ethical and Legal Considerations in Nepal
Embryo freezing is legal and ethically accepted in Nepal. However, both partners must provide informed consent, and clinics are required to maintain strict documentation and confidentiality.
Guidelines in Nepal typically restrict embryo freezing to married or committed heterosexual couples, and third-party use (donor embryos, surrogacy) is subject to additional regulations.
Vardhan Fertility Centre adheres to ethical guidelines, ensuring that all embryo storage and usage comply with Nepali medical and legal standards.
FAQs About Embryo Freezing
Q: How many embryos should be frozen?
It varies per case, but generally 3–6 good-quality embryos are ideal for increasing future chances of pregnancy.
Q: Can frozen embryos be used for multiple pregnancies?
Yes. If multiple embryos are frozen, they can be used in separate IVF cycles for more than one child.
Q: Does freezing damage embryos?
Not with modern vitrification techniques. Survival rates after thawing are over 90% in top fertility labs.
Q: What happens to unused embryos?
Couples can choose to continue storing them, donate to research, donate to other couples (where permitted), or discard them after proper consent.
Embryo freezing is not just a medical procedure — it is a promise of future parenthood, a bridge between today’s decisions and tomorrow’s dreams. For couples facing uncertainty, medical treatments, or simply planning for the future, this technology offers flexibility, reassurance, and real hope.
In Nepal, clinics like Vardhan Fertility Centre are helping individuals and couples take charge of their fertility with world-class care and compassionate support. If you’re considering fertility preservation or undergoing IVF, embryo freezing may be the most important step in securing your future family.
Preserve life at its earliest stage. Preserve your dreams. Choose embryo freezing.
