Cryopreservation in reproductive medicine is not new technology — but it is more sensitive than almost any other cryobiological application. The samples are irreplaceable: a non-recoverable oocyte or a lost embryo cannot be substituted with a new sample for the affected couple.
That makes the demands on equipment, monitoring, and processes in reproductive medicine cryostorage exceptionally high — even though regulatory frameworks in Europe vary by country.
Vitrification is now the standard for oocyte cryopreservation. Controlled slow freezing with a programmable device is rarely used for oocytes today — vitrification delivers higher survival rates.
For long-term storage of vitrified oocytes on cryosticks or cryotops: ABV+ and ABS+ tanks from Consarctic® — in vapor phase, to eliminate cross-contamination risk between samples from different patients.
Sperm samples are traditionally cryopreserved by slow freezing, as sperm are relatively robust to the controlled freezing process. The Consarctic® BIOFREEZE® BASIC is suitable for this application.
Long-term storage: ABV+ or ABS+ tanks in vapor phase.
Embryos (from pronuclear stage to blastocyst) can be cryopreserved by both slow freezing and vitrification. Blastocysts are now predominantly vitrified.
Storage: ABV+ or ABS+ tanks — never in the BSD+ or BSF+ series, which are not designed for IVF applications.
The BIOFREEZE® BASIC is the freezing device solution for IVF clinics and reproductive medicine facilities:
Vitrification does not require a programmable freezing device — it is performed by direct immersion in LN₂ following a manual protocol.
The Consarctic® ABV+ and ABS+ series are developed specifically for IVF clinics and reproductive medicine facilities:
⚠ Important: In reproductive medicine facilities, only ABV+ and ABS+ tanks are used. BSD+ and BSF+ series are not suitable for IVF applications.
Even where no formal GMP regime applies — national tissue laws and embryo protection legislation in many European countries require traceability and documentation for reproductive medicine samples:
The Consarctic® Monitoring-System delivers this documentation automatically — continuous temperature recording, access logs, alarm history.
IVF clinics often have no night operations — but the cryogenic tanks run around the clock. A monitoring system that only forwards alarms during business hours is not a safety system.
The Consarctic® Monitoring-System alerts 24/7 via SMS, email, and app — with escalation to on-call personnel if no acknowledgment is received.
For oocytes, vitrification is now the standard method, with significantly higher survival rates (typically 85–95% vs. 60–80% for slow freezing). For sperm, slow freezing remains common. For embryos, both methods are used; blastocysts are now predominantly vitrified.
Formal GMP qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ) is not always mandatory in IVF clinics — it depends on the national regulatory framework. However, tissue laws in many European countries require traceability, qualified equipment, and documentation. Consarctic® recommends qualification as good clinical practice.
–196°C (liquid phase) or –180°C to –190°C (vapor phase). Both temperature ranges halt biological degradation. Vapor phase is preferred because it eliminates cross-contamination risk between samples.
Long-term studies show no significant quality reduction in gametes and embryos over 10 or more years with correct cryogenic storage. Legally permitted maximum storage durations vary by country and sample type.
Exclusively ABV+ and ABS+. BSD+ and BSF+ are designed for other applications and are not recommended for IVF samples.
The samples in an IVF laboratory are unique and irreplaceable for the people they belong to. That is the difference from almost every other cryobiological application.
Consarctic GmbH supplies the systems that meet this responsibility — and provides the service, monitoring, and qualification to ensure the storage never becomes the risk.