Hi

I'm no expert & sure someone else will be able to provide far better info...but from what I know, blastocysts are embie cells that have been allowed to develop/divide for longer (around 4 or so days I believe) before being transferred back.

Take care
Natasha

 

Hiya

Yep, that's my understanding too..........they are kept in the lab for longer so they can see which ones are going to divide the best.  Blasts have a good success rate for pregnancy as far as I know - my clinic wanted to do blasts for me this time, but they would only do it if we had 6 embies or more, and we only had 5. 

Good luck if you are having blasts transferred.

Kim
x

 

Is that a standard criteria that you have to get a certain number of embryos before they will consider letting them delvelop into blastocysts?  If there is a higher success rate this way why is it not standard.  Is it more expensive or something? 

 

Thanks for your replys girls, Im not acutally having it done, im just curious  because i want to know what everything means when i start treatment, can go in knowing everything then!! 

dont like not-knowing stuff!! 

Kacey - Congratulations on your BFP - You'll being enjoying your lovely  very soon.. Hope the labour goes well.. Your dreams of a baby have come true, how wonderful..

Take Care, Luv Sweetcheeks xx

 

I think it depends on the clinic how many embies you need before they try to get blastocysts. Because the embryos are in the lab longer, there is a higher chance that they won't thrive, so I think the idea is not to take the risk. If you have a lot of embies, then they can risk losing a few, while they see which ones are the strongest. At my clinic there was an extra charge (£300). Hope that helps a little! By the way "blastocyst" stage can be reached at day 5 or 6, it is when the embryos have developed a large number of cells, and have a fluid filled cavity.

 

Hi Plummy,

So thats the reason why they only do it if you have 6 or more embies - Makes a lot of sense, the less you have the less chances you have, but obviously the more embies you have the more chance you have 

Thanks for clearing that up xxx

 

Hi peeps,

I am currently trying to find out the ins and outs of blastocyst as they think we might be in with a chance, but the hospital have said they will only do it if at least 4 reach the 8 cell stage!!!!! Is this right??

Jena

 

Hi Jena,
I had a blastocyst transfer but was told that the only reason for waiting was that they could not tell which 2 of my embies were the strongest at day 3 post ec! They said that if there had been 2 which were obviously doing better then there was no benefit from waiting. The risk you take with going to blastocyst is that the embies stop dividing before you get them back.

Hope that makes sense.

Good luck

Steph

 

Hi Steph and a very very big congratualtions to you, 


That does make a little bit more sense thankyou

Jena