Ask the CryoStork^®: Are My Embryos Safe If I’m Not Transporting Them Myself?  

Welcome to Ask the CryoStork^®, where we answer questions from patients just like you. Whether you’re navigating fertility preservation, preparing for IVF, planning for surrogacy, or exploring long-term storage, we know the decisions ahead of you are deeply personal and sometimes overwhelming. That’s why we’re here. To offer clarity and confidence as you protect what matters most.     

If you don’t see your question answered, please contact us! We’re here to help. We’ll answer your question directly, and it may even be featured (anonymously) in a future Ask the CryoStork to help others just like you!   

Ask the CryoStork^®: I’ve already been through so much, how can I be sure my embryos will be safe if I’m not carrying them myself? 

It’s completely natural to feel anxious about this step in your IVF journey. You’ve invested so much to get to this point, and now you’re trusting someone else to move something irreplaceable… This can feel like a vulnerable part of your journey toward parenthood, and you’re being asked to trust a process that happens out of sight. That concern is reasonable. The way we address it is straightforward. We combine engineering excellence with documented quality processes, continuous monitoring, and a long track record of successful outcomes. Together, this creates a foundation for the industry’s most reliable and exceptional standards for excellence.  

Engineered for Protection 

Cryoport Systems uses the Cryoport Express^® Cryogenic Standard Shipping System, our proprietary and custom-engineered shipper designed specifically for transporting sensitive materials at cryogenic temperatures. Each shipping system is fully requalified before every use (not just periodically). This requalification process includes performance checks for hold time, temperature stability, and structural integrity so the system behaves predictably in real-world transit conditions.  

Cleanliness and contamination control matter, too. Our Veri-Clean^® process is a validated decontamination protocol designed to consistently return equipment to a defined clean state before every use, eliminating 99.9999% of external contaminants like bacteria, viruses, and fungi. That means every shipment starts with a system that meets strict standards for both performance and cleanliness, making us the industry’s only provider to adhere to this level of safety and protection.  

Continuous Monitoring from Pickup to Delivery 

From the moment your materials are loaded into the shipping system, our integrated condition monitoring systems continuously track temperature, location, humidity, and other critical parameters throughout transit. Temperature monitoring confirms the cryogenic environment is consistently maintained, while location monitoring ensures our 24/7/365 team of logistics experts has visibility into the shipment’s movement and routing. If any deviation occurs, our teams are notified and can intervene quickly with established risk-mitigation steps. You don’t need to watch the map yourself, you can trust our specialists who do this every day.  

Built on ISO 21973 and Robust Quality Systems 

Cryoport Systems is ISO 21973-certified, adhering to the international standard for the transport of human cells for therapeutic use. While this standard most frequently applies to things like cell and gene therapies, it is the most rigorous quality standard in the life sciences, and we apply this same standard to all shipments we handle, regardless of purpose. For you, this means that the processes behind the scenes follow a recognized framework designed to protect biological materials during transport. ISO 21973 complements our broader Chain of Compliance^® approach and standard operating procedures which include documented workflows, verified and validated data, and continuous improvement. The result is predictable and reliable consistency of shipment after shipment, across more than a million successful shipments to date.  

Proven Outcomes at Global Scale 

Cryoport Systems has over 20 years of experience in life science logistics, and we partner with leading fertility clinics worldwide. This means that your shipment moves within well-understood routes and established clinic workflows. This scale isn’t about volume and the number of shipments we process (although we’ve successfully shipped over a million!), but is about the level of quality and reliability that comes from the repetition, data, and refinement over our long history.  

IVF asks a lot of you. Transport shouldn’t add more. Using validated shipping systems with integrated continuous monitoring, trusting in the rigor of ISO-aligned processes, and relying on a proven operations team gives you a clear, calm path for this part of the journey. Our role is to make this transfer safe, secure, and supported so you can stay focused on the decisions and milestones that truly need your attention.  

When you partner with Cryoport Systems for your reproductive transport, you can be confident in knowing your materials are protected. The industry’s most stringent safeguards are built into every shipping system, verified before each use, monitored throughout the journey, and ultimately backed by a long record of successful outcomes on a global scale. Let us handle what we do best, so you don’t have to.