Glossary

A blastocyst is an embryo that has developed for 5 to 6 days after fertilisation, consisting of around 100 cells. At this stage the embryo has differentiated into two distinct cell types. Transfer at blastocyst stage is associated with higher implantation rates.

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an in vitro fertilisation procedure in which a single sperm cell is injected directly into the cytoplasm of an egg. It is one of the most common procedures in IVF, used when sperm quality or motility is a concern.

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is a process in which one or two cells from an embryo on Day 3 or Day 5 are extracted and genetically analysed before transfer. Used to detect chromosomal abnormalities or hereditary conditions.

Vitrification is a rapid freezing technique used to cryopreserve eggs, sperm and embryos. Cooling happens so fast that ice crystals cannot form, preserving the cell structure. Vitrified embryos can be stored indefinitely and thawed with very high survival rates.