Blastocyst quality affects the success of blastocyst-stage embryo transfer Basak Balaban, B.Sc., Bulent Urman, M.D., Aycan Sertac, Cengiz Alatas, M.D., Senai Aksoy, M.D., Ramazan Mercan, M.D. Fertility and Sterility Volume 74, Issue 2, Pages 282-287 (August 2000) DOI: 10.1016/S0015-0282(00)00645-2
Figure 1 Expanded grade 1 blastocyst on day 5 (large arrow). This embryo showed early cavitation on day 4. Arrested and degenerating embryos (small arrows). Balaban. Blastocyst quality and embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 2000. Fertility and Sterility 2000 74, 282-287DOI: (10.1016/S0015-0282(00)00645-2)
Figure 2 Grade 2 blastocysts (asterisks); late developing blastocysts compared with grade 1 blastocysts. These exhibit a transitional phase before expansion. During this phase single or multiple vacuoles with sharp concave borders appear. These are usually seen starting from day 4 of development. There appears to be no morphologic difference from grade 1 blastocysts when the distinct region of the inner-cell mass and trophoectoderm have formed. Expanded grade 1 blastocysts (large arrows); early blastocysts (double arrows). Grading cannot be well distinguished between 1 and 2 until the expansion phase. Balaban. Blastocyst quality and embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 2000. Fertility and Sterility 2000 74, 282-287DOI: (10.1016/S0015-0282(00)00645-2)
Figure 3 Grade 3 blastocyst. These show several degenerative foci in the inner-cell mass. Balaban. Blastocyst quality and embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 2000. Fertility and Sterility 2000 74, 282-287DOI: (10.1016/S0015-0282(00)00645-2)
Figure 4 Early hatching grade 1 blastocyst (asterisks); late hatching grade 1 blastocyst (arrow). Balaban. Blastocyst quality and embryo transfer. Fertil Steril 2000. Fertility and Sterility 2000 74, 282-287DOI: (10.1016/S0015-0282(00)00645-2)