Creating a new life is one of the most incredible and amazing feats we may ever accomplish. There are multiple steps our bodies undertake to ensure that egg and sperm meet, beginning the mind blowing division of those two cells into millions of new ones ultimately creating a baby.
Along the way, our bodies have many safety or quality control checks in place. These seem to happen automatically but only IF our body is able to function properly. This translates into being HEALTHY!
In my book I go into further detail explaining the importance of both healthy eggs and healthy sperm. I also explain that if a woman’s eggs are healthy they play a crucial role in accepting only a healthy sperm. The egg is also able to make some rectifications to possible sperm ‘defects’ before the two meld into what will become an embryo.
As the embryo moves along the fallopian tubes into the uterus, the next quality controller awaits. Cells lining the uterus become primed and should an approaching embryo not meet the grade, implantation is denied.
Nature has built-in quality control checks throughout the reproductive organs but what happens in the laboratory? How effective are these checks?
Embryo grading is a vital part of the IVF process, offering insight into which embryos are most likely to result in a successful pregnancy – Note that this does not equate to resulting in a live birth of a healthy baby.
According to Professor David Gardner of Queensland Fertility Group: “Embryo grading is the process where embryologists examine how the embryo looks as it develops in the IVF laboratory. This assessment provides a guide to prioritize embryos for transfer, freezing, or further monitoring. While not a guarantee of success, grading helps identify embryos with the highest potential to lead to a healthy pregnancy.”
Embryo grading typically takes place five days after fertilization, when the embryo reaches the blastocyst stage.
While higher graded embryos offer greater chance of success, Professor Gardner admits there are exceptions: “Even a high-grade blastocyst may have an abnormal number of chromosomes, particularly in women over 37.”
Ensuring both egg and sperm are top quality prior to fertilisation is the key to successful outcomes, regardless of method. If using IVF, quality prior to fertilisation may even be more important due to the fact that the body’s natural checking mechanisms are bypassed in the laboratory.
If you have tried several rounds if IVF without success, it may be time to stop and attend to the basics – preconception preparation. You’ll find all the information in my book, which is available on Amazon.
