Blastocyst Transfer Treatment

What is a Blastocyst?

A blastocyst is an embryo that has developed to a specific state at about five to six days after fertilization. Some of the key points regarding blastocyst are as follows.

• Blastocyst is a stage of pre-implantation embryo development that occurs after the morula stage. 
• It consists of two primary cell components - an outer layer known as trophectoderm and an inner cell mass called the blastocoel.
• The trophectoderm layer forms the placenta and other supporting cell structures needed for the growth of the embryo and development.
• The inner cell mass forms the embryo and it contains stem cells that later form all the tissues of the body.
• These cells are about 0.1 and 0.2 mm in diameter at this state.
• In IVF cycles the embryos that reach the blastocyst stage after the fifth or sixth day of development are likely to implant successfully after the transfer back into the uterus. 

What is a Blastocyst Transfer Routine?

A blastocyst transfer routine is a technique that works along with traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures. In this process, the embryo is incubated for up to six days to let it develop to the blastocyst stage. On the final day, the embryologist picks the two best embryos and transplants them back into the female patient's uterus following the standard IVF process. This careful selection and treatment plan enhances the chances of getting a successful pregnancy. 

Why Choose Blastocyst Transfer?

The blastocyst simulates the natural conception process by preparing the embryo to the state that it would have naturally been when it arrives in the uterus in a normal pregnancy. Therefore this process has a higher chance of successful pregnancy. Besides this, some other reasons why you should choose blastocyst transfer in the IVF procedure include the following:

• It allows for a five-day assessment period for embryos which allows for better selection of the embryos.
• Blastocyst transfer routine has higher live birth rates.
• There is a lower risk of multiple pregnancy
• The blastocyst transfer in IVF mimics the natural timing of conception.
• There is a lower number of embryos needed in one cycle.
• High-quality blastocysts can be frozen for future use if pregnancy is achieved.
• Since it stimulates the natural cycle, there is a lower risk of ovarian hyperstimulation.

These are some of the key benefits of a blastocyst transfer routine and some key reasons why you should choose this treatment process.  

When is a Blastocyst Treatment Recommended?

The blastocyst treatment process is recommended in many situations. Some of the most common circumstances where the blastocyst treatment is recommended are as follows:

• Blastocyst is recommended if there have been multiple transplantation failures.
• It is also recommended for women over 35 years of age.
• If the couple has had previous miscarriages, the doctors often recommend the blastocyst transfer treatment
• It is also recommended when male infertility is in consideration.
• It enables transferring just one healthy blastocyst to avoid high-order multiples. Therefore, it is recommended when there is a need for single embryo transfer.
• Blastocyst transfer treatment is also recommended if there are previous cases of multiple births.
• Switching to blastocyst transfer may improve outcomes after multiple failed transfers, therefore it is also highly recommended during cases of multiple IVF treatment failures.

What are The Steps of a Blastocyst Transfer Routine?

The steps involved in a blastocyst transfer are similar to that of a regular IVF treatment. The core difference between blastocyst transfer and IVF is the age of the implanted embryo. While the age of the embryo in IVF is around four days old, the age of the embryo in the Blastocyst transfer process is four to six days. That said, the process of blastocyst transfer is as follows.

Egg Collection

In this process, the egg is collected from the mature follicles in the uterus using a device known as a scan probe. This process is generally painless and doesn't last more than half an hour. 

Fertilization

Once the eggs are retrieved, they are kept in a sterile environment and are fertilized in laboratory conditions. Once the eggs are fertilized, they are kept in an incubator.

Embryo Culture

The embryos created during the fertilization process are then kept in an incubator until they reach a blastocyst stage. This typically happens around four to six days after fertilization. 

Embryo Transfer

Once the eggs reach the blastocyst phase, they are transplanted back into the uterus of the female patient. In this process, a maximum of two eggs are transplanted to reduce the risk of a multiple pregnancy. 

Pregnancy

After around two weeks from the date of implantation, the female patient can conduct a general pregnancy test to know about the results of blastocyst transfer treatment. 

Follow-Ups 

If the blastocyst transfer is successful, the next phase is conducting the necessary follow-ups to ensure optimal health and address any issues that may occur. 

What are The Risks of The Blastocyst Transfer Routine?

While the blastocyst transfer is typically a safe process with minimal risks, just like any medical procedure, it is not completely risk-free. We already talked about some core benefits of the blastocyst transfer process earlier. Now, let's talk about some of the risks. The key risks associated with blastocyst transfer are as follows:

• Some embryos may not reach the blastocyst stage by day 5 or 6 in culture leading to canceled transfers.
• The extended culture can result in embryo loss, leaving fewer embryos available for transfer or freezing.
• There is a higher risk of a canceled cycle since if the embryo fails to develop into a usable blastocyst, then the entire cycle needs to be canceled.
• The zona pellucida may open prematurely resulting in difficult transfers or embryo degeneration.
• Additional lab work, incubator use, and monitoring required make blastocyst cycles more expensive.
• Weekend cycles may be difficult as blastocyst transfer is usually done on days 5 or 6 specifically.

What is the Blastocyst transfer success rate?

The success rates for the blastocyst transfer process vary depending on the individual circumstance. However, on average, this process has around 55% to 65% success rates for pregnancy and 45% to 55% success rates for live births. 

FAQs About Blastocyst Transfer

What is blastocyst stage transfer?

Blastocyst stage transfer is a process where the embryo is transferred into the uterus from an incubator once it reaches the blastocyst state which is around six days after fertilization. 

Is blastocyst good for IVF?

Yes, a blastocyst is indeed good for IVF as it increases the success rates for IVF treatment procedures. 

Is it better to transfer embryos or blastocysts?

Both transferring embryos and blastocysts have good success rates. However, in comparison, the blastocyst has a higher success rate for pregnancy and live births. 

What are the risks of blastocyst transfer?

Some of the key risks of blastocyst include the following

• Failed embryo development
• Lower embryo numbers
• Canceled cycles

What blastocyst transfer success rate?

The average success rate for a blastocyst is around 55% to 65% and the average success rate for live births is around 45% to 55%.

How long after a blastocyst transfer can you get pregnant?

It takes around nine to fourteen days after the transfer of the blastocyst into the uterus.