Blastocyst Transfer in Chennai

Blastocyst Transfer

A blastocyst transfer is an embryo transfer which involves transferring one or more embryos that are at a very advanced stage of development, the so-called blastocyst stage. This is usually done on the fifth day and sometimes on sixth day after oocyte retrieval and ICSI

When the doctor removes the eggs from an ovary (follicular aspiration), they are fertilized in the laboratory. This is done either by normal in vitro fertilization (IVF) or by means of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Immediately after fertilization, an egg starts to divide and develop into an embryo. The stages of development are as follows:

• The pronuclear stage on the first day (fertilized egg)
• The 2 to 4 – cell stage on the second day
• The eight-cell stage on the third day
• The morula stage on the fourth day and
• The blastocyst stage on the fifth day

The infertility expert or the doctor then inserts one or more embryos in the female patient’s uterus in about 2 – 3 days after egg retrieval. This process is referred to as embryo transfer.

Blastocyst culturing

The blastocyst culturing involves fresh or frozen embryo transfer that is performed 5 or 6 days after egg collection, instead of the traditional 2-3 days. Blastocysts are frozen when they are five or six days old. Blastocyst cultures require optimal laboratory conditions, a culture solution that best supports the development of blastocysts and sterile culture environment. On average 60% of fertilized eggs reach the blastocyst stage.

By culturing embryos for a longer period of time (the prolonged cultivation), the embryologists of KIC – Chennai are able to choose the best ones quality wise and also morphologically for transfer, i.e. embryos that have continued to divide and develop. In extended culture, the embryos are cultured for 4-5 days prior to the transfer to the uterus. At this stage, the embryo already has more than one hundred cells, and it is at either the morula or blastocyst stage at the moment transfer.

Advantages of Blastocyst Culture

The advantage of blastocyst culture is the efficiency of embryo selection because only the embryos with the best development capacity reach the blastocyst stage. There is a higher probability of pregnancy when using a blastocyst than with an embryo in the cell division stage, with fresh embryo transfer and frozen embryo transfer being the most reliable method.

Blastocysts are also used with excellent results in embryo diagnosis. Blastocyst cultures are particularly useful when predicting a good yield of about 10 eggs. With low egg counts, it poses the risk that no embryo can be transferred if the development of the embryo stops before it reaches the blastocyst stage. Transferring blastocysts following IVF also provides another benefit – reduction of the possibility of multiple pregnancies.

Risks arising out of Blastocysts Culturing

Some health experts have raised concerns about prolonging culture outside the body longer than is absolutely necessary. The known risks of blastocyst transfer are those of the general IVF process itself. The risk of monozygotic (identical) twins after blastocyst transfer is increased, even when transferring a single embryo.

When to opt for Blastocyst Culture

Blastocyst transfer has become increasingly common infertility clinics like Kiran Infertility Centre – Chennai in recent years, with prior research showing that transferring these longer, better developed embryos boosts the chances of pregnancy and live birth. The blastocyst culture is suitable for those female patients are below 37 years of age and have a normal day of 3FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) level with a greater desire of avoiding any chances of a triplet pregnancy.