Blastocyst Transfer
Blastocyst culture is an advanced IVF technique to
increase the pregnancy rate and decrease multiple pregnancy rates.
Normally after the egg retrieval process, fertilized eggs convert into embryos after three or
four days in the
laboratory.
With the help of advanced biological science and research, it is now
possible to
grow embryos to their
blastocyst stage in the laboratory.
The survival period of each embryo is approximately three days and after that, it must achieve
its own genes to survive,
which is not possible for all embryos.
About one- third embryos reach the blastocyst
stage which
is highly developed and
have a higher rate of implantation.
The blastocyst culture technique helps the embryologist to choose few stronger and healthier
embryos that have a higher
capability to achieve pregnancy and thus reduce the chances of multiple pregnancies.
Blastocyst culture is not beneficial for all IVF patients and is successful for those who are
younger and have a larger
number of eggs at the time of the retrieval process.
What’s so special about
blastocyst
culture in an IVF setting?
Standard practice in IVF involves the replacement of embryos into the uterus after 3 days when the
embryos are at the
cleavage stage of development.
Blastocyst transfer, however, involves extending the period that the embryos are cultured in the
laboratory to 5 or 6
days.
Why extend the time that the embryos are cultured in the laboratory?
It is known that a lot of embryos are destined to arrest at early stages so extended culture allows
the embryologist to
identify which (if any) of a group of embryos have the best potential for implantation by
identifying those which form a
normal blastocyst in culture.
Transferring embryos at the blastocyst stage also provide better coordination between the embryo and
the uterus by
putting the embryo back in the right place (the uterus) at the right time (blastocyst stage).
What are the benefits of blastocyst culture?
Overall, if you have a normal blastocyst for transfer on day 5, the chances of pregnancy are higher
(in our hands) than
if you have embryos transferred on day 3.
HOWEVER, the chances of having NO embryos for transfer at all are also higher.
