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Pictures of IVF embryos from our in vitro fertilization laboratory
Advanced Fertility Center of Chicago
Infertility and IVF Specialist Clinic
Gurnee & Crystal Lake, Illinois
Many embryo pictures are displayed, showing both normal and abnormal development of IVF embryos, eggs, and sperm. This page is a descriptive table of contents for embryo images at different stages of development.
Our IVF Success Rates
Our IVF Pricing Plans
Our Success Rates Using Donor Eggs
Picture of IVF embryo - this is a fertilized human egg (also called oocyte)
This is seen the morning after an IVF egg retrieval when we check the eggs for signs of fertilization
Male and female genetic material (DNA) are contained in the 2 pronuclei seen in the center of the photo
More about IVF - in vitro fertilization
IVF procedures
Photo of a high quality day 3 human embryo at the 8-cell stage
6 cells are visible in this plane of focus
This picture shows a high quality blastocyst embryo on day 5
Blastocyst transfer after culture for 5 days in sequential culture media
is a relatively new technique that can result in high pregnancy rates with lower multiple pregnancy rates
See our blastocyst transfer success rates
Pictures of eggs and sperm
Human eggs, also called oocytes
An egg as seen at the egg retrieval procedure - in the center of the mass of cumulus cells just below the red X
Images showing examples of normal and abnormal eggs, including low quality eggs, high quality mature eggs, abnormal eggs, very immature eggs, degenerative eggs
Pictures of low quality and high quality eggs
Pictures of immature IVF eggs
Abnormal egg photos
Degenerative IVF egg pictures
Egg pictures from egg retrieval procedure
Human sperm pictures
In the end, us men are just DNA donors. Some women would (? falsely) claim that's all we're good for! If cloning is ever perfected and applied to humans, women won't even need us for our DNA. Let's hold off on the cloning research, please...
Pictures of day one embryos
Photo of fertilized human eggs, one-cell embryos, also called 2 pronuclear embryos or zygotes
This is what we want to see the morning after the egg aspiration in IVF cycles
Picture of an abnormally fertilized egg (triploid)
Embryos such as this must be discarded
Pictures of day 2 embryos
4-cell embryos pictures
This is what we want to see at about 48 hours after the egg retrieval procedure
2-cell embryos pictures: Multinucleation
Two embryos are shown, one is multinucleated and very abnormal, the other appears normal
2-cell embryo photos: Fragmentation
Two embryos are shown, one has some fragmentation, the other does not
Images of day three embryos
8-cell embryo picture at high magnification
This is what we want to see at about 72 hours after egg retrieval
Embryos that look like this generally have a high rate of implantation after being transferred to the uterus
Pictures of normal and abnormal day 3 embryos
One embryo has a very unusual shape. Is it to become a football star?
An example of a very fragmented and low quality embryo is also shown.
Pictures of day four morula stage embryos
Embryo images at the morula stage
This is the last stage of embryo development before it (hopefully) becomes a blastocyst
Pictures of blastocysts on day 5 to 6 of IVF embryo development
Blastocyst photos, day 5-6 embryo pictures, and blastocyst grading
The blastocyst stage is the last stage of embryo development before the embryo hatches and implants into the lining of the uterus. Blastocyst transfer can reduce multiple pregnancy risks, with high pregnancy success rates.
Other pictures of IVF embryos
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection for severe sperm deficiency (ICSI)
A series of images that demonstrates ICSI
Pictures of IVF embryos undergoing assisted hatching
Assisted hatching can improve a couple's chances for pregnancy
A series of 5 pictures demonstrates the embryo hatching procedure
Pictures of embryos of different grades - embryo quality and embryo grading issues
IVF embryos of different grades are shown to demonstrate differences in morphologic quality (basically, how pretty they are) Embryo grading relates to their potential to implant and make a viable pregnancy
Abnormalities of the embryo's shell (zona pellucida)
Three embryo images are shown:
One has a thick shell, another has an irregular shell, and the 3rd has a normal appearance
Abnormalities of the embryo's inner cells (blastomeres)
Two embryo photos are shown
One shows granular cells, the other has normal cells
Photo of a 3-cell embryo cleaving
A 4 cell "wannabee"
Images of multinucleated embryos
Two embryos are shown
A zygote with many pronuclei and a multinucleated 2 cell
These are significant chromosomal abnormalities
