The process of embryonic development is the period in which the embryos resulting from fertilization divide and develop before being transferred to the woman’s uterus. During this time, the embryos go through several crucial stages in the in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure, and in some cases, genetic tests may be performed to assess the health of the embryos.
The Zygote (day 1):
After fertilization, when the sperm entered the oocyte and the first cellular divisions took place, a zygote results. At this stage, the embryo is single-celled.
Division Stages (Day 2 – Day 3):
The embryo continues to divide, moving from the single-cell stage to stages with two, then four, eight and more cells. At this stage, the embryos are called morula and begin to form a compact structure.
Blastocyst (day 5 – day 6):
Embryos that have reached the blastocyst stage are made up of about 100-200 cells and have two main components: internal cell mass ( which will become the fetus ) and trophectoderm ( which will form the placenta ).
Hatching and implantation (day 5 – day 7):
The blastocyst undergoes a “hatching”, which is a process in which the outer membrane opens and releases the cells so that it can be implanted in the uterus. After hatching, the blastocyst can implant in the uterine lining to start a pregnancy.
