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BOOK TITLE: Principles and Practice of Assisted Reproductive Technology
Blastocyst culture, although a little time consuming and its inherent limitations, is an important step ahead in the field of ARTs. However, before it can be routinely applied in an ART laboratory, it is essential that the laboratory first has the requisite infrastructure, maintenance and skills. Although, the pregnancy rate per blastocyst transfer is higher than pregnancy rates following cleavage stage transfer but if one were to look at the cumulative pregnancy rate per cycle started or per patient, then the results are not that dramatic. Because, the number of embryos that grow to blastocyst and are available for transfer or cryopreservation much lesser. This chapter covers the culturing blastocysts in vitro, morphological evaluation of blastocysts, morphology of poor quality blastocysts, evaluation of zygotes and embryos and their potential to develop into blastocysts, factors influencing blastocyst development, hatching phenomenon in a blastocyst, advantages and applications of blastocyst culture, and limitations of blastocyst transfer.