Embryo transfer is the most crucial stage of the IVF procedure, and it determines whether your IVF treatment will succeed. Therefore, the embryo that is going to be transferred during this procedure needs to be of the best quality.
This is why fertility doctors usually use a grading system to evaluate embryos and rank them based on their quality and structural features. The embryo with the highest rank is believed to have the highest chance of success.
In this article, we will discuss the success rate of embryos graded “4AA” and what are the other factors that influence the success rate of an IVF treatment.
The Average Success Rate Of Pregnancy With 4AA Embryo
If you have a 4AA embryo, then congrats, you have a high chance of success in your treatment. This is because the embryos with rank 5AA and 4AA are the highest-ranked embryos and have a higher chance of success.
On average, an embryo ranked 4AA has a 60–65% chance of successful implantation and pregnancy, with a live birth rate of about 50%.
First, let’s understand what the number and alphabets in the grade “4AA” represent and how we derive that it is the highest rank.
Let’s take “4AA” for example. Here
- “4” represents the blastocyst development stage (ranks ranging from 1 to 6, with 5 being the best one)
- “A” represents the inner cell mass (ICM) score (ranks ranging from A to C, with A being the highest)
- The second “A” represents the Trophectoderm (TE) score (Ranks ranging from A to C, with A being the highest).
So, here, a 4AA embryo means that the embryo is of the best quality with good structural and developmental qualities. Transferring this embryo will increase your chances of a successful pregnancy.
However, don’t worry if you have a low embryo grade. You can discuss the issue with your fertility doctor and take the necessary steps to improve embryo quality and increase your chances of a successful pregnancy.
Factors Influencing Success Rates
Though you have tried hard during your fertility treatment and have done everything in your power to ensure success, sometimes, things don’t work according to our plan.
There might be some factors that you have overlooked that can affect your IVF success rate. Below are some of those factors. Ensure you check all these factors and be at your best during embryo transfer.
Your age
Your age is something you can do nothing about. Your fertility gradually decreases with age. So, it is inevitable that you have a lower success rate than other younger women undergoing IVF.
You can consult with your fertility doctor and take the necessary precautions to ensure a safe pregnancy.
Embryo quality
Although the embryo grading system is mostly accurate and can give you better results, there might be chances that the embryo has other defects that can influence your IVF success rate.
Uterine receptivity
After all the hard work you have done for IVF success, if your uterus is not ready to implant the embryo and support its development, everything will go to waste.
So, ensure you check your uterine receptivity and undergo embryo transfer at the right time.
Hormonal imbalance
As you already know, your hormones will be high during this period. This can affect the development of your uterine lining and affect the implantation rate.
Lifestyle habits
Your unhealthy lifestyle habits, like smoking, alcohol, obesity, etc., can affect embryo implantation rate and affect IVF success.
Underlying medical conditions
If you have any underlying medical conditions like uterine fibroids or endometriosis, it can also affect your IVF success rate. You should first diagnose and treat any medical conditions before starting your IVF treatments.
Positive Aspects Of A 3AB Embryo
As we have discussed above, embryos with the grades 4AA or 5AA have the highest chances of success. However, it does not mean that other embryos are not of good quality.
For example, an embryo with the grade 3AB also has a good chance of implantation. If the timing is right and the uterine environment supports it, this embryo can very well implant into the uterus and develop into a healthy baby.
You need to understand that IVF success does not just depend on the grades of your embryos. Embryo grading is just a part of IVF which has a specific success rate for each grades embryo. There are still other factors that you need to consider to ensure a safe and healthy pregnancy and childbirth.
Conclusion
Embryo grading is an effective method to assess the quality of the embryo and choose the best one for embryo transfer. This step has proven several times to increase the success rate of IVF procedures.
On average, an embryo ranked 4AA has a 60–65% chance of successful implantation and pregnancy, with a live birth rate of about 50%.
Below are some common factors that can influence your IVF success rate.
- Your age
- Embryo quality
- Uterine receptivity
- Hormonal imbalance
- Unhealthy lifestyle factors
- Underlying medical conditions
An IVF treatment is generally considered safe if you manage to cross the first twelve weeks (first trimester) without any complications. After this period, there are very minimal chances of having any other issues, and your pregnancy will mostly be smooth and healthy.
