Background: Cryopreservation can induce cellular, genomic, and epigenetic abnormalities.

Objective: To analyse the impact of ovarian vitrification on follicular development and its epigenetic effect on promoter methylation of Inhba and Inhbb in granulosa cells.

Materials and methods: Mouse ovaries were divided into control, toxicity, and vitrified groups. The growth and development of follicles were examined. After in vitro culture of follicles, DNA was extracted from isolated granulosa cells and treated with sodium bisulfite. The promoter methylation of Inhba and Inhbb was analyzed by direct PCR sequencing.

Results: Vitrification reduced the growth of follicles; however, antral cavity formation was not influenced negatively. Vitrification reduced the percentage of 5-methylcytosine in the Inhba promoter, while CpG sites in the promoter of Inhbb remained unmethylated.

Conclusion: Vitrification had adverse effects on follicle growth and the epigenetics of granulosa cells. The results of the current study show that vitrification methods of ovary need more improvement.