The Lab Journey
FROM EGG TO
EMBRYO
Many people ask why our IVF success rates are high. The short answer is – The IVF Lab. The IVF success rates are only as good as the Lab that supports it; the lab nurtures almost half of the baby making process. Complemented with the critical quality standards of the lab, the skilled IVF professionals and latest breakthrough techniques has been the thread in the spinning of IVF success stories at CheQKmate.
Have you ever wondered what happens between the collection of your sperm and egg and your embryo transfer. So, let's go through the journey of 'The making of a Heartbeat'.
Day 0 - Egg and Sperm collection
- Eggs are identified from the Follicular Fluid obtained during egg retrieval.
- In IVF, the prepared sperm is mixed with the eggs in a pertidish.
- In ICSI, a single sperm is injected into each egg using a fine needle.
- After IVF/ICSI, the eggs are placed back in the incubator.
Day 1 - Fertilisation Check
- Look for signs for 'normal' fertilisation under microscope.
- Abnormally fertilised eggs are then separated from the normally fertilised egg.
Day 2 - Quiet Development
- Fertilised eggs become 2 or 4 cell embryo.
- Embryos are usually kept undisturbed on Day 2.
Day 3 - Embryo Grading and/or Embryo Transfer
- Embryos, by now, should have formed either 6 or 8 cells.
- Embryos graded using a standard protocol.
- Transfer the embryos on Day 3 or
- Embryos may be left in the incubator for Blastocyst formation.
Day 4 - The day of rest
- Embryos undergo further development
- No checks are performed on this day
- Embryos are left alone in the incubator
Day 5 - Blastocyst Formation and Embryo Transfer and/or freezing
- Blastocyst is a more advanced development stage.
- Good quality Blastocyst has good potential to implant.
- One or two Blastocyst is selected for transfer.
Embryo Transfer
- done on Day 2 / Day3 or Day 5.
- done normally without anaesthesia.
Embryo Freezing
- Excess embryos are frozen and stored.
- Frozen embryos can be used any time in future.
