TEHRAN -- Iran’s knowledge-based companies have successfully localized embryo cryopreservation equipment as part of the country’s medical advances.
Embryo freezing is a method of fertility preservation that has shown no reported genetic complications and eliminates the need for repeated, costly, and medication-intensive IVF treatments.
The Iranian-made embryo freezing equipment, which costs only one-tenth of the price of foreign alternatives, is now being used in all infertility treatment centers across the country, Press TV reported.
Iran is the fourth country in the world, after Japan, Spain, and Canada, to produce embryo cryopreservation equipment. Following Iran, countries such as China, India, Pakistan, and more recently, Turkey, have also begun manufacturing this technology.
In the process, embryos at the multicellular stage are placed in a special medium and cryopreserved in liquid nitrogen at -196°C, allowing them to remain viable for many years.
According to Farhang Abed, the R&D director of an Iranian knowledge-based company, the idea is derived from cryobiology and has become feasible thanks to advances in modern medical technology.
“In infertility treatments, patients are given medication that leads to the formation of around ten to fifteen embryos. Typically, three of these embryos are transferred into the woman’s uterus in the hope that at least one will successfully implant and result in pregnancy,” Abed said.
“The remaining embryos are frozen and stored. If pregnancy is not achieved, the frozen embryos can be used in subsequent cycles. If pregnancy is successful, the remaining embryos can be preserved for future pregnancies.”
Iran has made significant strides in medical science over the past few decades, positioning itself as a regional leader in various fields of healthcare and biotechnology.
From pioneering stem cell research to producing advanced medical equipment and vaccines, the country’s healthcare system has increasingly relied on its growing network of knowledge-based companies and research institutes.
Iran has achieved self-sufficiency in many areas of pharmaceutical production, including the development of biosimilars and cancer treatments, making advanced therapies more accessible to its population.