Typical images seen down the microscope in IVFWales Embryology lab:       

                                    An egg shortly after retrieval

                                   

                                    A mature egg without its 'cumulus' cells

                                   

                                    A sperm sample

                                   

                                    A sperm cell being 'immobilized' before ICSI

                                   

                                    ICSI

                                   

                                    A fertilised egg displaying male and female 'pronuclei'

                                   

                                    A 2-cell embryo (day 1-2)

                                   

                                    A 4-cell embryo (day 2)

                                   

                                    An 8-cell embryo (day 3)

                                   

                                    An 8-cell embryo undergoing 'Assisted Hatching'

                                   

                                    A morulla (day 4)

                                   

                                    A blastocyst (day 5)

                                   

                                    A hatching blastocyst (day 5-7)