Blastocystculture

Significant progress has been made in the cultivation of fertilised oocytes (eggs) in recent years. According to a new legal interpretation of the Embryo Protection Act, it is now also possible in Germany to cultivate several fertilised oocytes for up to 5 days (when they reach the blastocyst stage), on an individual basis. During development tot he blastocyst stage, about 60% oft he fertilised oocytes come to a developmental stop. This natural selection during culture results in one or two well developed embryos at the blastocyst stage, which can be transferred with a higher pregnancy rate than transferring embryos at an earlier point during the cycle. If there are more than one good blastocyst, there is the option to freeze the rest to be used in future pregnancy attempts.
The goal is a single-embryo transfer, i.e. the transfer of one good embryo capable of development in order to achieve a singleton pregnancy where possible. The

number of fertilised oocytes tob e cultured until day 5 is determined individually for each therapy, taking into account the age oft he patient, the number of oocytes and, if applicable, the embryo quality in previous cycles. It is not permitted to freeze a large number of embryos at the blastocyst stage, which is why we carefully consider how many embryos to culture further in the lab past the pronuclei stage.
Our goal is to work with couples to create the optimal conditions for achieving pregnancy and ultimately, the birth of a child. Therefore we work together with you to determine the best path for your individual situation.