IVF . EMBRYOLOGY . ANDROLOGY . HEALTH CARE
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IVF & Fertility Basics
The meeting of egg and sperm is one part of the story. Understand fertilisation, IVF, ICSI and the terms used in fertility care.
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IVF Laboratory
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What can a semen analysis tell you? Explore sperm biology, semen assessment and preparation, and the questions to ask about male reproductive health.
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Follow the changing stages of an embryo. Learn what cleavage, compaction and blastocyst formation describe.
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A LITTLE CLARITY GOES A LONG WAY
You may have heard…
Let’s look at the facts.
Ten common myths, explained simply. Swipe or scroll through each one.
Infertility is always a female problem.
Fertility difficulties can involve male factors, female factors, or an unexplained cause. Assessment should consider the people involved in the treatment plan.
WHO · Infertility ↗Everyone with fertility difficulties needs IVF.
Treatment depends on the cause and individual circumstances. Options can include medicines, selected surgery, IUI or IVF. Your assessment helps guide the discussion.
NHS · Fertility treatment options ↗IVF and implantation are the same event.
IVF involves fertilisation outside the body. Implantation is a later process in the uterine lining; transferring an embryo does not confirm that implantation has happened.
HFEA · IVF explained ↗ICSI is the best fertilisation method for everyone.
ICSI can be useful for specific indications, including some sperm-related problems. It is not automatically better for every patient or every cycle.
HFEA · ICSI explained ↗Time-lapse imaging guarantees a higher chance of a baby.
Time-lapse records development. Current HFEA guidance does not find improved chances of a baby for most patients from its use as an add-on.
HFEA · Time-lapse imaging and incubation ↗A standard embryo photograph shows its chromosomes.
Appearance under the microscope does not reveal a chromosome count. PGT-A is a separate test of sampled cells, with limitations that need discussion.
HFEA · What PGT-A examines ↗Embryology is only about IVF procedures.
Embryology studies early development, including cell division, organisation and differentiation. IVF is one setting in which parts of this science are applied.
OpenStax · Embryonic development ↗An unfertilised oocyte and a zygote are the same stage.
An oocyte is an egg cell. A zygote is the single-cell stage after fertilisation. The terms describe different points in the reproductive process.
NHS · Fertilisation in the laboratory ↗Every fertilised egg will reach the blastocyst stage.
Some embryos stop developing before blastocyst formation. Fertilisation and continued development are separate milestones.
HFEA · Decisions about embryos ↗Every embryo must become a blastocyst on day 5.
Developmental timing varies. Laboratories also assess embryos that form blastocysts on day 6. Your team interprets the stage and timing together.
Cambridge IVF · Development in the laboratory ↗1 of 10
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You can take this one step at a time.
Keep a note of unfamiliar words. Ask your team to explain them in language that works for you, and ask about counselling or other support whenever you need it.
Sources and notes about this page
Each fact includes a link to its supporting guidance. These general explanations help you understand fertility science; they do not set a personal treatment plan. Follow the advice of your fertility team.
By Manoj Kumar K, Embryologist · Inside Embryo. Educational illustrations are not to scale and cannot be used to assess embryo quality. Medical disclaimer