ATLAS OF IVF EMBRYOS - DAY 2 AND DAY 3 EMBRYOS
DR. SAIPRASAD GUNDETI, SENIOR EMBRYOLOGIST, MALPANI INFERTILITY CLINIC PVT. LTD.
You can see what embryos look like on Day 1 at https://www.drmalpani.com/articles/atlas-of-ivf-embryos-day0-and-01
DAY 2 EMBRYOS
- DAY 2 EMBRYOS GENERALLY HAVE 2 TO 4 CELLS IN THEM.
- EMBRYOS WITH 4 CELLS (GRADE A) ARE CONSIDERED AS TOP QUALITY DAY 2 EMBRYOS.
GRADING OF DAY 2 EMBRYOS IS DONE CONSIDERING :
- SIZE OF THE CELLS
- PRESCENCE OF FRAGMENTS / PERCENTAGE OF FRAGMENTATION.
GRADE A EMBRYO
4-CELL GRADE A EMBRYO
- THIS EMBRYO IS A TOP QUALITY DAY 2 EMBRYO
- THIS EMBRYO IS WITH EQUAL SIZED CELLS
- NO FRAGMENTATION IN THE EMBRYO
2-CELL GRADE A EMBRYO
GRADE B EMBRYO
4 CELL GRADE B EMBRYO
- THE EMBRYO IS WITH EQUAL SIZED CELLS
- THE EMBRYO HAS FRAGMENTATION MORE THAN 15 %
GRADE C EMBRYO
4 CELL GRADE C EMBRYO
- THIS EMBRYO IS WITH UNEQUAL SIZED CELLS
- THE EMBRYO HAS FRAGMENTATION MORE THAN 50 %
DAY 3 EMBRYOS
- DAY 3 EMBRYOS GENERALLY HAVE 6 TO 8 CELLS IN THEM.
- EMBRYOS WITH 8 CELLS (GRADE A) ARE CONSIDERED AS TOP QUALITY DAY 3 EMBRYOS.
GRADING OF DAY 3 EMBRYOS IS DONE CONSIDERING :
- SIZE OF THE CELLS
- PRESCENCE OF FRAGMENTS / PERCENTAGE OF FRAGMENTATION.
GRADE A EMBRYO
8-CELL GRADE A EMBRYO
- THIS EMBRYO IS A TOP QUALITY DAY 3 EMBRYO
- THIS EMBRYO IS WITH EQUAL SIZED CELLS
- NO FRAGMENTATION IN THE EMBRYO
6 CELL GRADE A EMBRYO
GRADE B EMBRYO
THIS IS AN 8 CELL GRADE B EMBRYO.
EVEN THOUGH THERE IS NO FRAGMENTATION, THE EMBRYO HAS UNEQUAL SIZED CELLS IN IT, WHICH MAKES IT A GRADE B EMBRYO.
THIS IS AN 8 CELL GRADE B EMBRYO.
THE EMBRYO HAS EQUAL SIZED CELLS IN IT. BUT SINCE IT HAS MORE THAN 15 % FRAGMENTATION IN IT, IT IS A GRADE B EMBRYO.
8-CELL GRADE C EMBRYO
THE EMBRYO IN THE PICTURE IS AN 8 CELL GRADE C EMBRYO.
THE EMBRYO HAS UNEQUAL SIZED CELLS AND FRGMENTATION MORE THAN 50 %
FAST GROWING EMBRYO ON DAY 3
8-CELL GRADE A COMPACTING EMBRYO 12-CELL GRADE A EMBRYO
The figure below is a schematic of how we grade embryos
WE OFTEN SEE SOME EMBRYOS GROWING FASTER COMPARED TO OTHER EMBRYOS.
THESE EMBRYOS ARE GIVEN PRIORITY WHEN IT COMES TO SELECTING EMBRYOS FOR TRANSFER.
Embryos are usually cultured in the lab until Day 5, when they are called blastocysts. The best blastocysts are transferred into the uterus.
You can see what blastocysts look like at https://www.drmalpani.com/blastocystimages
