embryo quality
jen32 - Mar 29th, 2006 7:36 PM
[ Original Post ]

We transferred a 8cell grade B and a 7cell grade B on fri. By Monday my remaining 3 embryos, a 4cell grade C and 2 6cell grade B's had become nice blastocysts and were all frozen. They seemed pleasantly surprised that they all made it to blastocyst. My question is Does this mean that if these 3 lesser embryos made it, is it more than likely that the 2 transferred will also make it and therefore I am likely pregnant? My first ivf resulted in an ectopic and we transferred a 8cell grade C and a 4cell grade A, these transferred are better..... I won't know until Tues, thanks for your time.

Comment


 

Dr Smith - Mar 31st, 2006 9:27 AM

Yes, there is data to support the supposition that if the remaining embryos make it to blastocyst on Day 5, the embryos that were transferred on Day 3 have a good chance of also making it to the blastocyst stage (and therefore capable of attachment and implantation). However, implantation is a separate issue. You have not yet had successful implantation in the uterus, so that's a big unknown at this point. Things look good so far.


rhonda - Apr 11th, 2006 12:33 PM

Hi

I have just gone through my first ivf treatment. My embryo quality was beyond 8 cells on the day three transfer (they were at 9 ir 10 cells). I was just wondering, around when does implantation occur and what are some reasons as to why such good embryos fail.

Thanks
Rhonda


Dr Smith - Apr 18th, 2006 9:51 AM

Firstly, 9-10 cell embryos are not necessarily "good" embryos. Embryos must reach the blastocyst stage before they attain the ability to attach to the endometrium and implant. Embryos reach the blastocyst stage on Day 5-6 of development. Many of the embryos arrest development prior to reaching the blastocyst stage due to genetic abnormalities. Although embryonic arrest is more common prior to reaching the 8-cell stage of development, embryos can a do arrest development (usually a failure to undergo compaction) on Day 4 or Day 5 of development. The truth is that we know little about the developmental potential of embryos on Day 3 of development.

Attachment of the embryos to the endometrium occurs around Day 5-6. Implantation is a process that takes about 10 days to complete after the intial attachement.

In addition, there are many endometrial factors that can interfer with the implantation of "good" embryos such as adenomyosis (endometriosis of the uterine muscle), auto-immune disease and abnormal clotting factors.