Sperm, oocytes and embryos can be cryopreserved.

Embryos can be stored in Austria for ten years.

Unfertilized ova may be kept for life.

For sperm, lifelong storage is allowed.

In sperm, about half survive freezing and later thawing. The remaining amount is usually sufficient to fertilize eggs in the course of an IVF or ICSI.

The cryopreservation of embryos works largely lossless. Up to 95% of the frozen embryos can be thawed vital again.

In 2016, Chinese scientists found that the "baby-take-home-rate" after artificial fertilization with frozen embryos is higher than with fresh ones.

Social egg freezing means that women freeze young ova as reproductive measures. Egg freezing is allowed in many countries.

In Austria, oocytes may only be removed and stored if there is a risk that their reproductive capacity will be lost as a result of a physical illness or therapy (eg chemotherapy).

Ovarian cells should not be cryopreserved for reasons of simpler family planning.