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Updated: Aug 15, 2026
08:28
Morphometric Protocol for the Objective Assessment of Blastocyst Behavior During Vitrification and Warming Steps
Published on: February 28, 2019
To blastocyst or not to blastocyst? That is the question
M M Alper1, P Brinsden, R Fischer
1Boston IVF, Waltham, MA 02451, USA. michael.alper@bostonivf.com
Human Reproduction (Oxford, England)
|March 30, 2001
Summary
Blastocyst culture improves implantation potential and reduces multiple births. However, its overall benefit remains unclear due to uncertainties in embryo development and cryopreservation, impacting pregnancy rates.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive medicine
- Embryology
- In vitro fertilization
Background:
- Advances in culture media enable cleavage-stage embryo development to the blastocyst stage.
- Blastocysts are associated with higher implantation potential compared to earlier stage embryos.
- Transferring two blastocysts can decrease high-order multiple gestations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the overall benefit of blastocyst culture in assisted reproductive technology.
- To address uncertainties regarding the implantation potential of cleavage-stage embryos not developing into blastocysts.
- To assess the impact of blastocyst cryopreservation on overall pregnancy rates.
Main Methods:
- Utilizing advanced culture media for in vitro embryo development.
- Comparing implantation rates of blastocysts versus cleavage-stage embryos.
- Analyzing pregnancy outcomes from both fresh and cryopreserved blastocyst transfers.
Main Results:
- Most cleavage-stage embryos do not reach the blastocyst stage in vitro.
- The implantation potential of non-blastocyst embryos remains largely undetermined.
- Limited data exists on blastocyst cryopreservation, affecting comprehensive benefit assessment.
Conclusions:
- The clinical advantage of blastocyst culture is not fully established without considering both fresh and frozen embryo transfers.
- Further research is needed to clarify the fate of embryos not selected for blastocyst transfer.
- Optimizing cryopreservation techniques is crucial for maximizing the benefits of blastocyst transfer protocols.
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