What is embryo culturing to the blastocyst stage?

Generally, embryo culture to the blastocyst stage (commonly referred to as "blastocyst culture") means continuing to culture embryos from day 3 in vitro until they develop into blastocysts on day 5–6. A detailed explanation is as follows:

Blastocyst culture classifies embryos based on the number of culture days into cleavage-stage embryos and blastocysts. Depending on whether they are frozen, embryos are further categorized as fresh or frozen. Embryos developed to day 3 are called cleavage-stage embryos, while those cultured to days 3–5 are termed blastocysts. Some embryos may take 6–7 days to reach the blastocyst stage. However, embryos that develop into blastocysts earlier generally have better quality and a higher chance of successful pregnancy after transfer.

It should be noted that during the blastocyst culture process, more than half of the embryos may stop developing, potentially resulting in no available embryos for transfer. Additionally, various adverse factors may lead to embryonic arrest or death.

If patients experience any discomfort or unusual symptoms, it is recommended to seek timely medical attention at a hospital to avoid delays in diagnosis and treatment.