A blastocyst refers to an embryo that has grown to a phase where it starts to build a core in liquid. This usually happens after 5-8 days of ovulation and is considered a major part of embryo development. A blastocyst transfer is the transfer of one or more of that embryo from the laboratory to the uterus of a woman.
This process of transfer is usually done after 5-6 days of follicular aspiration. For the same, the doctor generally removes the ovum from the ovary, and fertilizes it with the help of IVF method. Sometimes, ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) method is used for the fertilization process. During the transfer, the doctor puts more than one blastocyst in the uterus of the woman. Till the fifth day, the embryo is developed in an incubator before it gets transferred to the uterus of the woman.
With the help of blastocyst transfer, the chances of getting pregnant is exceptionally high. Compared to embryo transfer at an early stage, there is a 7% increase in the odds of pregnancy occurring. In women of age group 30, it is found that the success rate is around 45% to 50%. In women who are in the age group of 30-40 years, the rate of getting pregnant is around 35% to 40%. The blastocyst method doesn’t work the same for all the women, and this method isn’t very successful with women who have low egg count. In such women, the embryo is transferred to the uterus of the woman at an earlier stage for better outcomes.