Blastocyst Culture

Blastocyst Culture

Blastocyst culture includes growing an embryo in the laboratory for several days until it reaches the blastocyst stage. The process generally takes around 5 days. A  frozen blastocyst transfer is then performed on the 5th day at this stage or embryo has developed greatly to break out of its protective shell and is also ready to implant itself in the uterine wall.

Recent advancements in Blastocyst Culture

Until recently culturing embryos to the blastocyst stage was really challenging but specific scientific developments have also led to the development of culture mediums that mimic the changing conditions of the reproductive system. It is especially customized to the specific requirements of the embryo as it passes through the fallopian tubes. In the laboratory setting at least 65% of the embryos successfully developed the blastocyst stage.

  • Firstly your inner cell mass develops into the fitters
  • The outer layer Forms the placenta
  • When is blastocyst culture recommended

Greater success rates

Blastocyst culture has a higher success rate as compared to day three embryo transfers. It is often suggested for you if you had previous failures with IVF despite having several good quality eggs retrieved. This allows you to observe the irregularities in the development of the embryo between day three and six. 

Elective single embryo transfer

Day five blastocyst transfer is beneficial for you if you are going for elective single embryo transfer as it increases your likelihood of conception as compared to day three embryo implantation.

Pre implantation genetic diagnosis

Pre implantation genetic diagnosis is a groundbreaking procedure that helps you increase the chance of producing a healthy baby when one or both of you have a genetic disorder. It includes embryo biopsy to perform genetic analysis and also ensures one healthy embryo is transferred to the uterus.

Multiple healthy embryos

If you have several healthy embryos on day three then it is recommended for you to go for blastocyst culture. The extended culture allows the embryologists to select the best embryos most likely to implant, minimizing the risk of multiple pregnancies by transferring minimum embryos on day five.

 

Advantages of blastocyst culture

  • By day 5 the differences between embryos become really apparent and enable selection of the best embryos for transfer.
  • At least 60% of the blastocysts is have the potential to implant increasing the likelihood of successful pregnancy for you
  • Transferring a single high quality blastocyst minimizes the risk of multiple births.

The blastocyst transfer procedure

Blastocyst transfer follows a similar process to your IVF with the main difference being the age of embryo at implantation.

Egg collection

A simple painless procedure that takes around 30 minutes where your eggs are extracted from completely developed follicles using a scanning probe.

Fertilization

The retrieved eggs are fertilized with your partner's sperm or donor sperm.

 

Blastocyst development

The fertilized embryos will be kept in a lab incubator until they reach a blastocyst stage at this stage they are most likely to thrive in the uterine environment. The healthiest blastocysts will be transferred to your uterus while the rest will be cryo preserved for future use.

Implantation

The expert will carefully insert the healthiest blastocyst in your uterus.

Pregnancy test

After two weeks of the transfer a pregnancy test will be conducted to determine the success. And ultrasound follows at six weeks if your pregnancy is confirmed.

Follow up and care

Regular follow-ups with your doctor is really important to monitor the progress of your pregnancy and prevent potential complications.  For hopeful parents like you it's important for you to stay diligent with follow up appointments especially after a successful blastocyst transfer.

Benefits of Blastocyst Culture and Transfer

Blastocyst culture and transfer is performed to increase the chance of implantation successful pregnancy. As compared to three day old embryos, blastocysts have a higher potential for leading to pregnancy. The process allows single embryo transfer which reduces the need to transfer multiple embryos and the risk of multiple pregnancies which can lead to obstetric complications

 

How blastocyst transfer mimics natural pregnancy?

In a natural pregnancy, blastocyst implants itself in the uterus and gives a positive pregnancy test 10 days to two weeks after fertilization. At the same time in blastocyst transfer the process is similar to the natural process which increases the chances of implantation. On the flip side a three day old embryo is still in the fallopian tube making implantation success less likely as its free floating in the uterus before implantation. A beta human chorionic gonadotropin test is performed seven days after the blastocyst transferred to confirm implantation

When is blastocyst transfer recommended?

Blastocyst transfer is recommended for younger women with a reasonable ovarian reserve; the procedure can be performed after in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Ovulation disorders

It indicates reserve or health conditions like polycystic ovarian syndrome or pre menopause impacting your release of eggs.

Fallopian tube problems

Damage to your fallopian tubes like infections, blockages or surgery can prevent the egg from traveling from the ovary to the uterus and the embryo from moving down to the uterus. It creates a barrier to conception.

Uterine fibroids

Tumors in the uterus can obstruct the implantation of a fertilized embryo.

Comprehensive procedure of blastocyst culture and transfer in assisted reproductive technology

Blastocyst culture and transfer play a very important role in assisted reproductive technology cycles. It facilitates the transfer and implantation of blastocysts.

Consultation

The journey starts with a consultation with a fertility expert to discuss medical history and understand the risks and side effects linked with the procedure as IVF does not guarantee 100% successful

 Test and scans

Blood tests and scans are conducted to evaluate different parameters like your hormone levels and to perform ultrasounds to understand your ovarian reserve. Furthermore these tests help in identifying any pre-existing conditions like hypertension or diabetes.

Follow up consultation

After receiving the test results the follow-up consultation with experts is scheduled. During this session the treatment plan will be discussed and you have to provide more consent for further procedures.

Semen analysis

Semen analysis is performed on your Semens sample to understand the sperm count morphology and other factors.

Stimulate ovaries

Hormonal injections will be administered to stimulate the ovaries encouraging the development of multiple eggs.

Monitoring

Regular monitoring through scans and blood tests is conducted to observe the response to medicines.

Trigger injections

Once hormone levels reach optimum levels or trigger injection will be given to induce egg maturation.

Egg collection

Egg collection is performed under sedation to retrieve the eggs using a needle pass through the vagina. At the same time a semen sample will be collected for further processing.

IVF or ICSI

Depending on your requirements either in vitro fertilization or intracytoplasmic sperm injection will be performed. The resulting embryos will be cultured in the incubator with a nutrient rich culture medium.

Blastocyst Development

Embryos will be monitored as they progress from single celled to two celled 4 celled and 8 celled stages. By the 5th or the 6th day they reach the blastocyst stage consisting of an inner cell mass.

Preimplantation Genetic Test

Preimplantation genetic tests might be performed at this stage to screen for any anomalies.

Grading

The embryologist will understand the quality of blastocyst by examining your inner cell mass. Artificial intelligence and machine learning will increasingly be used to minimize human else

Blastocyst culture

The best quality blastocyst will be selected and transferred in the uterus using a catheter guided by ultrasound for perfect placement.

Cryopreservation

Any remaining high quality blastocyst will be cryopreserved for future use avoiding the need to start the ART process from scratch. The process will be known as frozen embryo transfer which offers you amazing opportunities for conception.

Pregnancy test

At least 12 days after blastocyst transfer a pregnancy test will be conducted to detect the presence of beta human chorionic gonadotropin indicating a potential pregnancy.

Why choose Maaeri?

  • We understand the importance of your journey towards expanding your family and we understand that navigating infertility treatments can be overwhelming. You can be rest assured as our dedicated team of experts is always here to support you on the seamless path through parenthood.
  • We focus on your well-being and look forward to helping you achieve your parental aspirations effectively reducing the number of IVF cycles required. Furthermore we understand that every case is unique and that is the only reason why we offer customized solutions including the option of using donor eggs or sperm to address your specific needs and concerns
  • With blastocyst culture and transfer we focus on your safety and the health of your pregnancy by using a single embryo. This approach ensures that your journey towards parenthood is successful and also as smooth and risk free as possible.
  • We are completely committed to supporting you throughout your fertility journey providing your compassionate care every step of the way.

Dos and don'ts

Dos

  • You should take time to relax and focus on the rest of your overall well-being.
  •  It's vital for you to follow your doctor's prescribed medication routine typically including progesterone to support a healthy pregnancy.
  • You must maintain a balanced diet rich in protein, calcium , vitamin B and iron for optimum health.
  • You should always start with taking folic acid supplements to support fetal development.
  • You should avoid exposure to plastics and products containing parabens as it might disrupt hormone levels and impact fetal organ development.

Don't's

  • You should refrain from sexual intercourse for at least two weeks following the blastocyst transfer.
  • You should steer clear of stress physical activities including running, and intense workouts.

Cost

Blastocyst culture and transfer is an integral part of art procedures and determining a separate cost of these components is really challenging but it is notable that the longer the duration of which the embryos are cultured and grown the expected cost might increase. The cost of assisted reproductive technology in India can vary greatly depending on the cleaning and different factors.  The base price of the treatment remains constant when you choose us . Furthermore the total cost of ART treatment can be influenced by supplementary surgical procedures which might be important. Typically the cost in India ranges anywhere between INR 1.5 lakh to 2,00,000.

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Answer the Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes we implement blastocyst culture and transfer for everyone experts suggest that this approach yields amazing higher rates of implantation and success as compared to typical embryo transfer methods additionally it also promotes single pregnancies enhancing safety.

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