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Your Embryo View

From the lab to your hands, your Embryo Report gives you a transparent view into your progress—helping you understand each step with clarity.

Inside the embryology lab…

The view gets personal.

Under the scope, that’s your embryo.

Now, you can see your embryo too!

Your Embryo. Your View.

Your personalized Embryo Report brings clarity to every step.

Take a look at cutting-edge science, centered on you.

View Embryo Report

Powered by ALife, your Embryo Report delivers a new level of visibility—giving you insight into your embryo like never before.

Preview a Sample Report

Embryo Development

Fertilization begins in the embryology lab, where egg and sperm are carefully brought together under controlled conditions to create an embryo.

Embryo grading and development are key parts of the IVF process—they help embryologists assess which embryos have the best chance of leading to a successful pregnancy.

What to know about

Developing to the Blastocyst Stage

After fertilization, embryos are carefully cultured in a specialized incubator for 5–7 days. During this time, the cells will hopefully divide and develop into blastocysts, signifying they are maturing to evolve into a healthy embryo. Throughout the process, the embryology team closely monitors each embryo’s progress, tracking how it’s growing and evolving.

How to understand

Embryo Grading

It’s like a report card for your embryo. Embryo grading is a system used to describe the morphological appearance (the form and structure) of any embryo. Each grade includes a number and two letters. The number reflects growth and expansion, while the letters evaluate what’s happening on the inside—and the outside. The assessment aids the team in selecting the best embryo for transfer.

Expansion

The number of the embryo grade represent how expanded the embryo cavity is. 1-2 is the best grade. The embryo must eventually fully hatch in order to implant.

Inner Cell Mass (ICM)

The first letter represents the “inner cell mass”. “A” is the best grade with many tightly packed cells.

Trophectoderm (TE)

The second letter represents the outer layer of cells. “A” is the best grade with lots of cells.

High Quality Embryos

Embryos that reach the blastocyst stage are ready for the next step—whether that’s freezing, biopsy for Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT), or transfer into the uterus.

Before starting treatment, patients work closely with their care team to make important decisions about their plan, including whether to pursue a fresh or frozen embryo transfer, and whether PGT testing is right for them.

At FCI, our lab follows strict criteria when selecting embryos for transfer or freezing. We freeze only high-quality blastocysts—typically graded 1–2 with AA, AB, BA, or BB classifications—because these embryos have a greater than 97% chance of surviving the thaw process.

Who Gets The Embryo Report?

  • Patients who undergo an egg retrieval cycle with fertilization and have embryos that develop to the blastocyst stage will receive an embryo report.
  • Your care team will send the report through your patient portal messages, and it will also be available in the uploads section of your patient portal.
  • Have questions? Reach out to your care team or connect with your physician—we’re here to guide you every step of the way.

Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT)

PGT testing screens for genetic and chromosomal abnormalities.
Testing is done on embryos once they reach the blastocyst stage.
PGT will require a frozen embryo transfer (FET).
PGT results take up to 2 weeks and identifies the sex of the embryo.

It's such a huge thing to even make a call for an appointment to a Fertility Clinic. While the situation is frustrating and heartbreaking, EVERYONE at FCI has been so generous, kind, and truly treats you as though you are their only patient and getting you a baby is their only goal.

– Former Patient

"I LOVED working with Fertility Centers of Illinois. They are considerate, competent, and efficient. They respond to changes well and are very adaptive to requests. I have donated multiple times and this was my favorite clinic by FAR to work with."

– Mandy B.

Throughout my entire fertility journey, my FCI team was behind me. I did not feel like a number and felt like I had the best minds figuring out the right solution for me and my family. The level of care is exemplary.

Q&A

Yes! The embryo report contains real pictures of your embryo. Cutting-edge science, centered on you.

Once your eggs were retrieved and fertilized, the resulting embryo(s) were cultured in the lab until they reached the blastocyst stage. At this stage of development, your embryo(s) are now ready to be frozen, biopsied for Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT), or transferred to the uterus.

Not every fertilized egg may have grown to the blastocyst stage. Remember that attrition at this stage is normal.

Embryo grading is a system used to describe the morphological appearance (the form and structure) of an embryo. Our grading system evaluates three components of the embryo: Expansion, Inner Cell Mass (ICM), and Trophectoderm (TE). The grade consists of a number and two letters (e.g., 1AA). At FCI, we only freeze high quality blastocysts (1-2 and AA,AB,BA,BB) that have a greater than 97% chance of surviving the thaw process.The differences between grades A and B are small, and both represent high-quality embryos. Overall, the difference in pregnancy rates is less than 10% between the highest and lowest grade embryos we freeze.

Expansion – The number of the embryo grade represent how expanded the embryo cavity is
Early Blastocyst (EB-3): An early blastocyst in which the cavity is starting to form in the embryo and the zona (shell) is thick 
Expanded Blastocyst (1-2): The blastocyst is expanding, cavity is larger, and the zona (shell) thins
Hatching Blastocyst (1-2): The embryo has begun to hatch out of the zona pellucida (shell)
Hatched Blastocyst (1-2): The embryo has fully hatched (an embryo must eventually fully hatch in order to implant)

Inner Cell Mass (ICM) – The first letter represents the ‘inner cell mass’
“A” is the best grade and has many tightly packed cells 
Grade A: Many tightly packed cells 
Grade B: Many loosely grouped cells
Grade C: Very few to no cells

Trophectoderm (TE) – The second letter represents the trophectoderm, or outer layer of cells 
“A” is the best grade and has lots of cells around the outside of the blastocyst
Grade A: Lots of cells
Grade B: Fewer cells
Grade C: Very few cells

The “Day” on your report refers to the day an embryo reaches the blastocyst stage of its development.
Typically, embryos reach this stage on Day 5, Day 6, or Day 7 after retrieval. If an embryo reaches the blastocyst stage on Day 5 or Day 6, that’s an indication that it’s developing well.
An embryo that takes 7 days to reach the blastocyst stage indicates slower cell division. However, Day 7 blastocysts are still viable and capable of implanting, just at a lower rate than Day 5 or Day 6 embryos.

Embryo grading is done to rank your embryos based on their visual quality characteristics. This assessment aids the team in selecting the best embryo for transfer. Patients can elect  to freeze surplus embryos.

Keep in mind that at FCI,  we only freeze high-quality blastocysts that have a greater than 97% chance of surviving the thaw. If your embryo is frozen, that means it is high quality. Chances of success largely depend on other factors, such as age at retrieval and euploidy status. 

You may be utilizing PGT-A (genetic testing) to determine which embryos are euploid (chromosomally normal) and which are aneuploid (chromosomally abnormal). A euploid embryo will be selected for transfer over an aneuploid or mosaic embryo, regardless of grade. Furthermore, grade does not predict euploidy status.

When an embryo is transferred fresh on the same day, its photograph is often taken earlier in the day than those of embryos that will be frozen. The additional time before freezing can make your embryos appear more advanced in development than your transferred embryo. This difference is normal and doesn’t reflect the quality or potential of your transferred embryo.

Your next steps may vary based on the decisions you and your clinical team make moving forward. 

Here’s an overview of what to expect:

  • If you have already completed a fresh embryo transfer, your clinical team will tell you when to schedule your blood pregnancy test. This is typically done about 10 to 12 days after your embryo transfer.
  • If you chose to do preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) on your embryo(s), you will typically receive your results within three weeks after biopsy. Your embryos will remain frozen until the time you are ready to use them. 
  • If and when you decide to proceed with a frozen embryo transfer (FET), please call our office to begin the process. The FET process typically takes approximately 6 to 8 weeks. 

If you are planning to start another cycle, you may need to call on the first day of your next period to get started.

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