Science-Backed Cryopreservation in Birmingham & Montgomery, AL
There are moments in life when pressing pause is the smartest move you can make. Fertility preservation gives you the option to preserve eggs, sperm, and embryos now—while time is still on your side—so you can pick up where you left off when you’re ready.
At ACRM, we use advanced egg and embryo storage through our partnership with TMRW Life Sciences. As the first fertility clinic in Alabama to bring this innovative cryopreservation technology into our IVF lab, we’re able to protect your most important cells with care. It’s another way we help you hold onto possibility, so whenever you’re ready to start or grow your family, that door is still open.
What is Cryopreservation?
Preserving possibility, one cell at a time.Cryopreservation is a technique that freezes reproductive cells—eggs, sperm, or embryos—at extremely low temperatures to pause biological time. Once frozen, these cells remain safely stored until you’re ready to use them in future fertility treatments. This precise process protects the cell membrane and overall integrity of each specimen, helping maintain strong survival rates when they’re thawed for use in future cycles, including frozen embryo transfer.
Our lab uses the most advanced technology available: an automated platform developed by TMRW Life Sciences, the first and only FDA-cleared system of its kind. Every egg and embryo is carefully stored, tracked, and protected within a system built specifically for long-term reproductive storage. That means fewer manual steps, fewer risks, and more confidence in knowing your fertility is backed by the best options science has to offer.
The Benefits of Upgrading Fertility Storage with TMRW
Protect your future with the best technology available.Understanding Your Options: Egg, Sperm & Embryo Freezing
Preserving your fertility starts with understanding what’s possible. Here’s a closer look at how each type of cryopreservation works, and how it can support your future family-building plans.
Egg Cryopreservation
Egg freezing (oocyte cryopreservation) allows individuals with ovaries to preserve unfertilized eggs during their peak reproductive years. Because egg quality naturally declines with age, freezing earlier helps “pause” that timeline and secure a healthy number of eggs that may support a successful pregnancy later on.
The egg cryopreservation process begins with a cycle of ovarian stimulation, using carefully monitored hormone medications that encourage multiple eggs to develop at once. Once they’re ready, the eggs are gently retrieved in a short, outpatient procedure under light sedation.
From there, each mature egg is flash-frozen using a technique called vitrification. This ultra-rapid freezing process protects the egg’s structure and prevents ice crystals from forming, keeping it safely preserved until you’re ready to use it in the future.
There’s no perfect number, but many fertility specialists recommend aiming for 10-20 mature eggs per hoped-for child, depending on your age and ovarian reserve. We’ll help you estimate the number of cycles you may need based on your testing and goals.
The stimulation phase involves daily hormone injections for about 10-12 days. Most patients describe the process as manageable, with mild side effects such as bloating, mood changes, or temporary fatigue. You’ll have several monitoring visits to ensure everything is progressing safely.
Sperm Cryopreservation
Sperm freezing is a quick and effective way to store a healthy sperm sample for future use. Because sperm count and quality can shift with age, lifestyle, or medical treatment, freezing a sample when it’s at its strongest can help preserve your best chances for later fertility treatment.
Collecting a sample is straightforward: typically, through ejaculation in a private, comfortable room at our Birmingham clinic. For those who need alternative methods, surgical retrieval options are also available. After collection, our lab evaluates each sample, prepares it for freezing, and stores it using liquid nitrogen vapor for long-term storage and stability.
Yes. Factors like smoking, excessive heat exposure (hot tubs, saunas), heavy alcohol use, and certain medications can impact sperm count and motility. Making healthy lifestyle choices in the weeks leading up to a collection can help optimize your sample.
Even samples with lower numbers can often be successfully frozen and used later. For very low counts, additional techniques, such as ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection), may be recommended. We’ll evaluate the sample and guide you on the next steps.
Embryo Cryopreservation
Embryo freezing is often chosen by individuals or couples who are undergoing IVF or are ready to take an extra step toward future parenthood. In this process, eggs are fertilized with sperm to create embryos, which are then allowed to develop for several days in our lab before being frozen.
Freezing embryos can offer certain advantages, especially for those who know they want to pursue IVF in the future. Because embryos have already demonstrated key stages of development, they may provide more predictable outcomes when it’s time for transfer.
This is completely normal. Embryos grow at their own pace, and our embryologists monitor each one individually. Those that reach the appropriate development stage are frozen. Others may continue growing for an additional day before determining if they’re suitable for freezing.
Resources Designed to Support You Through the What-Ifs and What’s-Nexts
Understanding your options and knowing what to expect can make all the difference.Navigating fertility care can bring up a lot of questions—about procedures, timelines, medications, and what to expect next. We’ve created this resource hub to help you feel more grounded and informed at every turn. Whether preparing for your first visit or reviewing your treatment plan, these tools are here to support you, not overwhelm you. And if something feels unclear, we’re always just a call away.
Why Patients Choose Embryo Cryostorage
A future-ready option for flexible parenthood planning.Embryo cryostorage offers a unique layer of planning for individuals and couples undergoing IVF. Unlike egg or sperm freezing, embryo cryopreservation involves fertilizing the egg before freezing, allowing you to preserve a more developed stage of fertility. This can be a strong choice for those who are ready to take that next step or want to make sure embryos are available for future transfers without undergoing another complete IVF cycle.
Thanks to our partnership with TMRW Life Sciences, ACRM is able to store embryos, eggs, and sperm using the same advanced cryopreservation platform. No matter what stage, every specimen is digitally tracked, securely stored, and continuously monitored with automated technology. Whether you’re preparing for another baby or keeping your options open, embryo storage gives you peace of mind that your future is protected.
We Hear You Have Questions About Cryopreservation
If you’re thinking about fertility preservation, the best time to freeze eggs or sperm is typically when your reproductive health is at its peak—usually in your 20s to early 30s for eggs. For sperm, younger samples tend to have better motility and morphology, but age isn’t quite as critical.
Not sure where you stand? Fertility testing can help you make that decision with more confidence. For those with ovaries, hormone testing (like AMH and FSH levels) and an antral follicle count via ultrasound can give you a snapshot of your egg reserve and ovarian health.
For those with testes, a simple semen analysis can reveal key insights about sperm count, motility, and overall quality. These tests help personalize your timeline and determine whether now is the right time to freeze—or if you have more time than you thought.
When stored correctly (and with the right technology, like TMRW), cryopreserved eggs, sperm, and embryos can remain viable for many years, often a decade or more. There’s no expiration date in the traditional sense. The key factor isn’t how long they’ve been frozen, but how healthy they were at the time of freezing.
Cryopreservation increases your chances of a future pregnancy, but it’s not a guarantee. Success depends on several factors, like your age at the time of freezing, the number and quality of specimens stored, and your reproductive health when you’re ready to try.
Most people use their frozen eggs, sperm, or embryos as part of a future fertility treatment, such as IUI or IVF. That’s where fertility testing can be especially helpful—it gives us a clearer picture of your reproductive baseline and helps tailor the right treatment plan.
For example, if testing shows a lower ovarian reserve, you might benefit from multiple egg retrieval cycles. Or if a semen analysis reveals low motility, your provider might recommend ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) when it’s time to use the frozen sperm.
For egg retrieval, the process starts with a cycle of hormone medications to stimulate your ovaries and encourage multiple eggs to mature. During the retrieval, you’re under light sedation. It’s a quick, outpatient procedure where the eggs are collected using a small needle guided by ultrasound.
Sperm collection is a much more straightforward process. It involves providing a sample through ejaculation in a private collection room at our Birmingham clinic. If needed, we also offer options for collecting sperm surgically or from frozen testicular tissue. Either way, our team makes sure it’s a comfortable and respectful experience.
Life changes, and sometimes that means your original plans for family building change, too. If you decide not to use your frozen eggs, sperm, or embryos, there are several next steps to consider.
- Keep them stored for a longer period of time, just in case
- Donate them to scientific research
- Help other families through embryo donation
- Discard the specimens entirely
Whatever you choose, it’s a personal decision, and one that our team is here to help you through whenever the time comes. There’s no pressure or judgment—just support and guidance when you’re ready.
The cost of embryo cryopreservation typically includes the laboratory process of freezing the embryo and the annual storage fee. Pricing can vary based on the clinic, storage technology, and the duration for which the embryos remain frozen.
At ACRM, we provide transparent cost information so you know what to expect. We also offer financing options to help make planning for the future more accessible.
Is embryo freezing better than egg or sperm freezing?
There isn’t a single “best” option; just the one that aligns with your goals.
- Embryo freezing can offer more predictability because development has already begun.
- Egg freezing is ideal for those not ready to choose a sperm source.
Sperm freezing is simple and accessible for preserving male fertility.
Our providers can help you compare the benefits of each based on your timeline and family-building plans.
Hope Starts With Cryopreservation in Birmingham & Montgomery, AL
You don’t have to know exactly what your future holds. You just have to know that you want options. Cryopreservation gives you the freedom to pause, wait, and focus on where you are right now, without closing the door on parenthood. Whether you’re planning ahead or navigating the unexpected, we’re here to protect your potential with care, precision, and technology that’s built for your future.
This is your timeline, your story, your choice. And if freezing eggs, sperm, or embryos is how you keep that story moving at your pace, we’ll be right here offering expert guidance, advanced fertility testing, and a storage system you can count on. Let’s preserve the possibility, together.