Brit Doctors Fertilize Egg Using Sperm Frozen for 24 Years

Doctors in Britain fertilized an egg with a sperm that has been frozen for the past 24 years, making it the longest period that a sperm was frozen before being successfully used in an IVF treatment. Richard Pott was diagnosed with testicular cancer in 1987, when he was just 21 years old. The doctors suggested Pott to freeze a sample of his sperms so that he may be able to father children in the future.

When Pott and his wife, Rebecca, failed to conceive a second child through usual methods, they opted for IVF treatment and used the frozen sperm. Doctors at Guy's Hospital in London then thawed the sperm and created embryos, freezing three of them while using two for transfer.

While the first attempt failed, doctors successfully managed to transfer two of the remaining three frozen embryos which finally led to the birth of Vivienne Pott who is now 13 months old.

Dr Tarek El-Toukhy, who conducted the treatment, said that the case gave hope for a number of cancer survivors that they can lead a normal reproductive life. “This case should give men and women going through cancer hope that they have the potential to lead a normal reproductive life afterwards”, he said.

Source-Medindia