BC grade embryos! Enlighten me please!

[LadyM2019]

Should I be concerned? I have 2 day five 4BC embryos frozen. My nhs clinic wouldn’t freeze BC grades but my private clinic says they’re good embryos..! Enlighten me please?!

I’m feeling very confused. They were frozen at age 35.

[Carelia]

Hi, when getting through private clinics in London, the general consensus that I found was that they were prepared to freeze anything from 2BC and upwards. The reason given is that below 2BC they don’t do well in the thawing process. Your is a good grade and well above the 2BC grade -> so you have nothing to worry about. I know many who have had perfectly healthy babies from lower grade. My own experience with NHS clinic vs a private clinic (with a good reputation) is that the NHS clinic managed far less blastocysts than the private clinic from same protocol and within 3 months of each other.

My assumption for this is the lab and staff skills level; in NHS clinics you have a lot of students that are learning the job vs being experienced embryologist . With that, not all clinics and labs are created equal and as soon as I went back to the private clinic, I got better results. This is clearly only my case but it told me everything I needed to know.

Therefore, relax, you have two fab embryos in the freeze; you can either go and bank some more, or try these out -> you have two very good options ahead of you 🤗

[LadyM2019 in reply to Carelia]

Thanks Carelia, that’s reassuring!

[Fruitandflowers]

My private clinic had a policy of not telling you the grade. I think the idea is that they're good enough to transfer/freeze and just trust to that. I had a 'perfect'/top grade blast transferred on the NHS and it didn't last past 6 weeks (progesterone issue). Then went private and they wouldn't say - I'm 20 weeks with one of 'good enough to freeze' quality I think knowing the grade can give you high or low expectations and worry, and I'm not sure it actually matters x

[LadyM2019 in reply to Fruitandflowers]

I actually wish they didn’t tell me the grade when I asked. They just said they were all good quality but I asked and then I googled the hell outta the grades 🙈😆 That’s great to know you’re pregnant with one of those! Congratulations! X

[LadyM2019]

Thank you x