Culture of the resulting embryos in specialized media is performed in our laboratory for approximately 72-96 hours before the resulting embryos are transferred to the uterine cavity. During this time, our embryology team performs a detailed analysis of the culture conditions and replaces the media to optimize embryo development.
The embryos are evaluated daily using an embryo grading system. Embryos are graded based a variety of morphologic characteristics including the rate at which the cells divide, the size and number of the cells, and the amount of cytoplasmic fragments present. Fragments are small pieces of the cell that result from uneven cell division. These fragments can adversely affect embryo development and the chances of pregnancy, and can be removed as deemed necessary.
