Why is a Blastocyst Transfer important?
As multiple embryos are formed in an IVF procedure it is beneficial for doctors to choose the best embryo for transfer. This is done by monitoring the growth of all the embryos. By allowing all the embryos to grow from the stage or day 3 (cleavage stage) to the stage or day 5/6 (blastocyst) allows the doctor to select the embryos that have the highest chance of success. The embryos that don’t reach the stage of the blastocyst are likely to die and not result in a pregnancy.
Whereas healthy embryos that reach the blastocyst stage are likely to result in a healthy pregnancy. Also, embryos that continue to grow to the blastocyst stage have a lower rate of chromosomal errors and therefore a higher chance of resulting in a healthy baby. Transferring fewer embryos greatly reduces the Risk for twin or triplet pregnancies and the associated risks.
In old IVF techniques, embryologists used to transfer the embryo to cleavage stage 2 or 3 (grown in a lab for 2 /3 days) and wait for it to grow into blastocysts in the uterus itself. But in modern and advanced IVF practices, a blastocyst is transferred in the uterus so that it is fully ready to get implanted on the walls of the uterus.
How quickly does a blastocyst implant?
During an IVF procedure, the blastocysts normally hatch out of the shell and start getting to implant after 2 days of the blastocyst transfer. This means that the implantation takes place about 7 to 8 days after the fertilization of the sperm and the egg.
What is the success rate of blastocyst transfer?
With the help of transferring blastocysts into the uterus, the chances of pregnancy have also risen up. Choosing to transfer a blastocyst over stage 2 or 3 of the embryo has shown positive results in IVF cases.
In the women below the age of 30, the success chances are 50% whereas in women above 30 these chances become 35-40% in a blastocyst transfer. The success rate of blastocyst transfer also differs for different women has every woman has different medical conditions. Read our post on ‘How to make IVF a success for the first time?‘
How do you know if a blastocyst has implanted?
After a blastocyst has been transferred, some women may notice signs and symptoms that implantation has occurred. These implantation signs may include cramping, light bleeding, bloating, nausea, headaches, sore breasts, mood swings, and changes in basal body temperature. But these are not mandatory symptoms and may differ from person to person.
