Lead Story: Day 4: The Right Day for Embryo Transfer
What is the right day to transfer embryos in an IVF cycle? According to Dr. Jun Tao, IVF and Andrology Laboratory Director, day 4 is the optimal day for embryo transfer.
Dr. Tao, PhD, HCLD, is Board Certified by the American Board of Bioanalysis as a High Complexity Clinical Laboratory Director. He holds a Master’s Degree in Embryology and received his Ph.D. in Anatomy and Endocrinology from Indiana University. Dr. Tao completed his fellowship at the Reproductive Biology Laboratory at Methodist Hospital in Indiana and was an Assistant Instructor in the Medical Sciences Program at the University’s School of Medicine.
Since joining FTC in the spring of 1999, Dr. Tao has brought tremendous leadership and innovation to the laboratory increasing the success of the IVF program. He introduced the concept of extended embryo culture and after extensive research, determined day 4 as the optimal day for embryo transfer. Day 4 embryos provide signs of advanced development that allows for better selection value than day 3 embryos. The extra day of progesterone preparation of the uterus may also add to increased implantation rates. Research at FTC showed culturing embryos to day 5, or blastocyst stage, generally is not beneficial to pregnancy rates and only added additional costs for an extra day of culturing. There are instances when an extra day in culture is necessary to provide definitive information on the quality of an embryo, but the majority of embryos are best transferred and/or frozen on day 4.
Dr. Tao has also designed and patented an embryo transfer catheter system that has resulted in higher pregnancy rates for IVF patients. Dr. Tao’s professional achievements include: the first ICSI pregnancy in Phoenix, the first testicular biopsy combined with ICSI pregnancy in Phoenix, and the first pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) pregnancy in Arizona.
FTC is honored to have Dr. Tao as part of our outstanding team.
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