Back to glossary

Fertility Glossary

Vitrification

Ultra-rapid freezing that prevents damaging ice crystals.

Eggs, sperm & embryos

Vitrification cools eggs and embryos so quickly that water becomes glass-like rather than crystalline. It has greatly improved survival after warming and is why frozen transfers now perform comparably to fresh ones.

Also known as: flash freezing, cryopreservation

Related Canada guides

Sources

  • Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS)

Last reviewed: September 9, 2026. Written by the Antega Editorial Team. General information only — always follow the advice of your own clinic, doctor or pharmacist.

Related terms

Frozen embryo transfer (FET)

Transfer of a thawed embryo in a later cycle.

Egg freezing

Collecting and vitrifying unfertilised eggs for later use.

Cryostorage

Long-term storage of eggs, sperm or embryos in liquid nitrogen.

Explore in-depth guides

Learn more with Antega's fertility guides and articles.

Browse guides