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Published: 2026-04-25
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.52163/yhc.v67i4.4884
Issue
Tập 67 Số 4
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Hưng, M. T., Dung, N. T. M., Mai, N. T. P., Linh, N. T., Hương, Đào L., Chính, L. T. K., & Hằng, N. T. . (2026). PREGNANCY OUTCOMES IN SINGLE FROZEN BLASTOCYST CYCLES AFTER THAWING AND CULTURING FOR AN ADDITIONAL 16-20 HOURS. Vietnam Journal of Community Medicine, 67(4). https://doi.org/10.52163/yhc.v67i4.4884

PREGNANCY OUTCOMES IN SINGLE FROZEN BLASTOCYST CYCLES AFTER THAWING AND CULTURING FOR AN ADDITIONAL 16-20 HOURS

Mai Trong Hung1, Nguyen Thi My Dung1, Nguyen Thi Phuong Mai1, Nguyen Thi Linh1, Dao Lan Huong1, Le Thi Kim Chinh1, Nguyen Thi Hang1
1 Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital

Main Article Content

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate whether prolonged post-thaw culture duration (16-20 hours) affects the development of embryos  and pregnancy outcomes in single frozen blastocyst transfer cycles.


Methods: This retrospective study included 263 single frozen-thawed day 5 blastocyst transfer cycles between January 2021 and December 2023 at the Department of Assisted ReproductiveTechnology & Andrology, Hanoi Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital. Blastocyst had blastocoel expansion stage from 1 to 3 before freezing and cultured 16-20 hours after thawing until embryo transfers. The main outcomes were the blastocyst morphology parameters-expansion, inner cell mass (ICM), trophectoderm grade (TE) and the pregnancy rate, implantation rate.


Results: After 16-20 hours of culture, embryos with blastocoel expansion from stage 1 to stage 3 showed development in both the degree of blastocoel expansion and the quality of the ICM and TE. Stage 1 embryos could progress to stages 2-4 (69.7%), stage 2 embryos developed to stages 3-5 (90%), and stage 3 embryos progressed to stages 4-6 (67.5%). The ICM and TE could be evaluated more clearly. The pregnancy rate was 66.9%, and the implantation rate was 57.5%. Embryos developing to stages 4 and 5 had the best outcomes.


Conclusions: A 16-20 hour post-thaw culture can be applied to embryos with blastocoel expansion stages from 1 to 3 to enhance embryo development, allow better assessment of embryo quality, and improve the prediction of embryo transfer outcomes.

Article Details

Keywords

Overnight culture, pregnancy rate, implantation rate, post-thaw culture duration.

References

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