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Esther Eleboh: In IVF, Sometimes the Best Strategy Is Not to Rush the Embryo Back Into the Uterus
Esther Eleboh/LinkedIn
Oct 3, 2026, 06:59

Esther Eleboh: In IVF, Sometimes the Best Strategy Is Not to Rush the Embryo Back Into the Uterus

Esther Eleboh, Reproductive Health Nurse (Head of Nursing Department) at Viva Fertility Clinic, shared on LinkedIn:

“In IVF, sometimes the best strategy is not to rush the embryo back into the uterus.

The conventional approach in many IVF cycles is:

Stimulate – Retrieve the eggs – Fertilize – Culture embryos – Develop to blastocyst – Freeze – Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET).

Why do we often prefer this approach?

  • It allows the effects of ovarian stimulation to settle. After stimulation with gonadotropins, a freeze-all approach gives the reproductive system time before embryo transfer.
  • It allows embryo development to be assessed, rather than freezing all embryos at Day 3, allowing them to continue developing to the blastocyst stage (Day 5/6) gives the embryology team an opportunity to observe which embryos demonstrate the ability to reach this developmental stage.
  • Blastocyst culture provides additional selection information. Not every Day-3 embryo will progress to blastocyst. That developmental journey itself provides valuable information about embryo competence.

One important conversation we need to have with patients is this:

If we are afraid to allow embryos to reach the blastocyst stage because we are worried that none may make it, should we automatically assume that every Day-3 embryo is viable?

Of course, embryo culture to blastocyst is not appropriate for every patient or every clinical situation.

The decision should consider the number and quality of embryos, maternal age, previous IVF history, laboratory performance, and the individual patient’s circumstances.

But when conditions are appropriate, giving embryos the opportunity to demonstrate their developmental potential before freezing can provide valuable information for planning the next step.

IVF is not just about creating embryos.

It is about understanding their developmental potential and choosing the strategy that gives the patient the most meaningful opportunity for success.”

Esther Eleboh

Other articles featuring Esther Eleboh on Fertility News.

blastocyst embryo embryo development Embryology Esther Eleboh Fertility Fertility News FET frozen embryo transfer IVF OBGYN reproductive health Reproductive Medicine Women’s Health
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