What You Need to Know About Egg Quality

One of the most frequently asked questions during the IVF process is about egg quality. Egg quality is one of the most important steps in IVF treatment. In this article, we have prepared a list of things you need to know about egg quality for you.

Why is Egg Quality So Important in IVF Success?

The answer is based on a simple fact: High-quality eggs mean high-quality embryos. High-quality embryos are strong enough to endure the early developmental stages and lead to a successful pregnancy.

However, we also understand that it can sometimes be difficult to comprehend the science behind egg and embryo quality. For this reason, we have prepared a section with FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) so that you can be informed and confident about what we do in our laboratory.

How Important is the Laboratory?

Very important. A highly experienced embryology laboratory and the technologies used are crucial.

With the knowledge accumulated over many years in our laboratory, our technical team and embryologists will be by your side at every step of your journey to conception.

Our laboratory uses innovative technologies and techniques to optimize fertility success. The harmonious collaboration of our team and our innovative technologies are the primary reasons for the maximum developmental potential of our embryos.

What is Egg Quality?

Egg quality is one of the most important determiners of the likelihood of embryo implantation (the embryo attaching). It is partially related to a woman’s remaining egg count, or ovarian reserve. This is, to some extent, also related to age. Similarly, ovarian reserve is a good indicator of egg quality; however, quantity and quality do not always correlate. Some women may have fewer high-quality eggs, making it easier for them to conceive through IVF.

How Do Eggs Turn Into Embryos?

In healthy women, ovulation (the release of an egg) occurs every month when a mature egg is released from the ovaries. The released egg then travels to the fallopian tube, where it stays until fertilized by a sperm. Once fertilization occurs, the sperm and egg combine to form an embryo. The process of embryo development is very rapid and complex.

Can You Improve Embryo Quality?

Our clinic uses a unique combination of gases to create a continuous culture environment for all embryos.

We provide a safe and stable environment for embryo development through continuous data tracking from our incubators. This ensures optimal conditions for embryo success. Thanks to our innovative embryo incubators, we offer better embryo quality and higher fertility success rates for our patients.

Why is Egg Quality Important?

Simply put, it is crucial. Eggs and embryos are directly and straightforwardly related: high-quality eggs produce high-quality embryos.

High-quality eggs allow the embryo to develop and attach in the uterus. For the embryo to successfully pass through the early stages of development and ultimately result in a pregnancy, it must be strong (high-quality). The likelihood of a successful pregnancy is higher with high-quality eggs and embryos. This is why a woman’s age plays a significant role in her chances of a successful pregnancy. As a woman gets older, her capacity to produce high-quality eggs decreases.

How is Egg Quality Tested?

We know for certain that age is related to a decrease in egg count, which is also linked to a lower chance of a healthy pregnancy. Age is also related to egg quality: most 30-year-old women only have about 12% of their eggs capable of becoming a baby. By the age of 40, only about 4% remain. Therefore, while egg quality cannot be directly tested, a woman’s age is an important indicator of her egg quality.

What is a Day 3 Embryo?

A Day 3 embryo refers to the embryo’s age or the number of days that have passed since fertilization. After sperm successfully fertilizes the egg, it begins a rapid division process. By Day 3, the embryo should have divided appropriately, and we can determine whether it is a healthy candidate for implantation. If the embryo is healthy, we allow it to continue dividing for two more days to strengthen it for implantation. If we deem that further development is unlikely, the embryo is transferred on Day 3.

What is a Day 5 Embryo?

As you can imagine, a Day 5 embryo has been allowed to develop for five days after fertilization. At this stage, the embryo consists of hundreds of cells and is highly developed, making it very suitable for implantation into the uterus. Day 5 embryos are also called blastocysts. Only about a third of embryos reach this stage. Some laboratories may not be able to develop embryos to this stage. If your embryo reaches the blastocyst stage, it is a superior and healthier embryo, thus offering a higher chance of implantation.

How Do We Decide on the Transfer?

The selection of embryos for transfer plays a key role. In our clinic, our doctors and laboratory embryologists closely monitor the development of each embryo. They communicate with each other and decide on the best embryo for transfer.

Our fertility team understands that each group of embryos is unique. Sometimes, the best embryo is immediately evident, while in other cases, it may take a few more days to determine which one is most suitable for transfer.

What is the Embryo Grading (Quality Classification) Process?

“Day 1” is after the sperm enters the egg and we see two areas of accumulation in a large round cell, which are arranged in a circular form. When these two areas are present, we can be sure that the egg has been fertilized by the sperm.

The grading of embryos up to Day 3 is based on three main features:

• Counting the number of cells in the embryo,
• Matching the cell count with the developmental day: For example, 4 cells on Day 2 and 6 to 8 cells on Day 3,
• The sign of a good embryo is that the cells are not fragmented. No or very few fragmented cells are expected in the embryo.

Grading of embryos on Day 5 and Day 6:

• The embryo has taken the form of a ball with a fluid cavity inside.
• The more extensive and spread out the fluid is, the better.
• There is a ball-like cluster of cells in one area of the embryo; the baby will develop from here. The more tightly packed and numerous these cells are, the better.
• There are flatter cells around this group of cells that form the outer part of the ball. These cells will develop into the placenta. The more tightly packed these cells are, the better.
• At this stage, since the embryo should contain more than 50, and in some cases more than 100 cells, cell counting is not possible.

I Had a Failed Cycle. Should I Keep Trying?

Although age is a key factor in egg quality, embryo quality, and pregnancy rate, variations occur from month to month. This means that even if your first cycle was unsuccessful, it is a reason to keep your hope. Definitely try again.

What Tests Do You Offer?

At our clinic, our embryologists, doctors, and scientific team continue to increase your success rates using the following tests:

+ PGT-M: This genetic testing method is applied to IVF embryos before transferring them to your uterus. PGT-M identifies existing single gene diseases. With PGT-M, we can determine whether you and your partner are at risk of having a baby with a particular genetic disorder and eliminate the chance of passing it on to your children.

+ Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS): Instead of detecting single gene diseases, PGT-A tests for chromosomal abnormalities that can result in birth defects or cognitive disorders. The implementation of this test increases pregnancy rates and leads to healthier babies being born. Doctors and embryologists can select only healthy and chromosomally normal embryos for implantation.

+ Embryo Scratching (Assisted Hatching): Some embryos cannot break out of their “shell” when their metabolic activity is low and therefore cannot implant in the uterus. In such cases, our team helps the embryo break out of its shell using a laser or by making a tiny hole with a very small pipette containing an acid solution, allowing it to implant in the uterus.