Our hearts go out to the patients whose frozen embryos, sperm or eggs may have been damaged by the recent cryostorage tank malfunctions at two different fertility clinics this month. Embryo freezing technology has helped to bring millions of babies into the world. It has been around for almost 30 years, and to date the number of frozen embryo tank failures has been extremely low.

RSC takes great care in storing and caring for your frozen embryos, eggs and sperm

• Each tank in our IVF (in vitro fertilization) laboratory in San Ramon is monitored by an embryologist every day, including weekends and holidays.
• The embryologist measures the level of liquid nitrogen in each tank. Tanks are topped off with liquid nitrogen two to three times each week.
• RSC maintains a bulk tank of liquid nitrogen on site so we always have access to additional product should we need it.
• The cryotanks themselves do not require electricity and would not be directly affected by a loss of power.
• Tanks are chained securely to a bracket on the wall to prevent tipping or rolling in the event of an earthquake.
• While the lifespan of cryogenic liquid tanks has not been clearly defined by tank manufacturers, RSC replaces every tank after 10 years of use. As new tanks are brought into the laboratory, they are filled to capacity and held for two weeks before adding any frozen samples to ensure they maintain a stable level of liquid nitrogen.
• Our IVF Laboratory is inspected every two years by the College of American Pathologists, which provides third-party accreditation and ensures that our laboratory meets the highest industry standards.