Culture of the Human Embryo

Fundamental to the success of the IVF laboratory is the use of an optimized embryo culture system that facilitates the production of high-quality blastocysts. This is achieved through the establishment of a culture system that encompasses the provision of essential nutrients by use of appropriate culture media, the maintenance of a stable environment in vitro and establishment of effective quality control protocols within the laboratory. While there is considerable variability in the culture systems used in IVF laboratories worldwide, as no standardized system exists, all modern embryo culture systems could be optimized by following these fundamental principles. This chapter describes one method for human blastocyst culture using a time-lapse culture system and highlights key considerations for optimizing embryo culture protocols.