Quality statement 9: Cryopreservation
Quality statement
People preparing for medical treatment, or who have a medical condition, that is likely to make them infertile are offered cryopreservation. [2014, updated 2026]
Rationale
Some medical conditions or medical treatments can cause fertility problems. Cryopreservation of sperm, oocytes or embryos may give people who are preparing for medical treatment, or who have a medical condition, that can cause fertility problems the option of having children in the future.
Process
a) Proportion of men, trans women and non-binary people with male reproductive organs who are preparing for medical treatment, or who have a medical condition, that can cause fertility problems who receive sperm cryopreservation.
Numerator – the number in the denominator who receive sperm cryopreservation.
Denominator – the number of men, trans women and non-binary people with male reproductive organs who are preparing for medical treatment, or who have a medical condition, that can cause fertility problems.
Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from patient records.
b) Proportion of women, trans men and non-binary people with female reproductive organs who are preparing for medical treatment, or who have a medical condition, that can cause fertility problems who receive oocyte or embryo cryopreservation.
Numerator – the number in the denominator who receive oocyte or embryo cryopreservation.
Denominator – the number of women, trans men and non-binary people with female reproductive organs who are preparing for medical treatment, or who have a medical condition, that can cause fertility problems.
Data source: Data can be collected from information recorded locally by healthcare professionals and provider organisations, for example, from patient records.
What the quality statement means for different audiences
Service providers (specialist fertility services) ensure that agreed referral pathways are in place to offer cryopreservation to people who are preparing for medical treatment, or who have a medical condition, that can cause fertility problems.
Healthcare professionals in specialist fertility services offer cryopreservation to people who are preparing for medical treatment, or who have a medical condition, that can cause fertility problems.
Commissioners ensure that there is sufficient capacity within fertility services to provide cryopreservation for people who are preparing for medical treatment, or who have a medical condition, that can cause fertility problems, with agreed referral pathways in place.
People who are preparing for medical treatment, or who have a medical condition that can cause fertility problems are given the option to preserve (freeze and store) their eggs or sperm for possible use in the future.
Source guidance
Fertility problems: assessment and treatment. NICE guideline NG257 (2026), recommendations 1.53.5 and 1.53.6
Equality and diversity considerations
The existence of living children should not be a factor that precludes the provision of fertility treatment.
There should not be a lower age limit for cryopreservation for fertility preservation in people with a medical condition or who are receiving medical treatment that can cause fertility problems.