Extended culture

Culture up to the blastocyst stage

Although most embryos proceed to undergo their first cellular divisions, only some of them have the ability to continue their development to a clinical pregnancy.

During an extended culture in the laboratory, it is possible to identify the embryos which develop to the blastocystThe blastocyst is an early embryonic stage of development of 5 / 6 days, which presents a complex cellular structure composed of about 200 cells. The blastocyst stage is the pre-implantation stage of the embryo in the maternal uterus. stage. An embryoTerm designating the early stages of development from conception to the eighth week of pregnancy. From the first cell division on, the two-cell stage, one uses the term embryo. that has a significant developmental delay after 5-6 days of culture has virtually no chance of giving a pregnancy.

The prolonged culture can:

• observe the proper development of embryos
• waive the transfer of embryos that have clearly stopped their development
• respect the synchronization between the endometriumMucous membrane of the inner wall of the uterus. During the menstrual cycle, the uterine lining builds up to the time of ovulation. If fertilization occurs, the egg may implant in the uterus, otherwise, the periods appear. The mucosa which had thickened for the implantation of the fertilized egg degenerates and is expelled from the uterus in the form of bleeding. and the embryoTerm designating the early stages of development from conception to the eighth week of pregnancy. From the first cell division on, the two-cell stage, one uses the term embryo.

There is no evidence to date that in the Swiss legal context, the extended culture increases the overall efficiency of a cycle. For this reason, we reserve the prolonged culture of embryos for specific indications.

Indications: repeated failures of implantationInstallation of the embryo in the uterine lining. after transfer of embryos cultured for 2-3 days, many cryopreserved zygotes available

Accelerated movie showing a mouse embryo development

Total period: day 2 up to day 6 (120 heures). This film was made with the help of CEMCAV the CHUV and been the subject of a presentation to the ESHRE Congress (1999).

The whole movie can be obtained at the CEMCAV.

Primi M.-P., Senn A., Rink K., Descloux L., Delacrétaz G., De Grandi P. and Germond M.
Computerised fast-motion video capture of mouse embryoTerm designating the early stages of development from conception to the eighth week of pregnancy. From the first cell division on, the two-cell stage, one uses the term embryo. development and hatching: a comparative analysis between normal and assisted hatching.