Patient: Dr. Malpani, everyone keeps telling me IVF is just a treatment to help me get pregnant. But you keep saying it also tells us a lot about the clinic itself. What do you mean by that?
Dr. Malpani: That’s a very important question — and I’m glad you asked it.
Most patients think of IVF only as a treatment. But in reality, an IVF cycle is also the best diagnostic and quality-check tool we have in reproductive medicine. It tells us three critical things:
- The quality of your eggs
- The quality of your partner’s sperm
- And just as importantly — the quality of the IVF clinic you are trusting
- And that third point is one most patients don’t realise until it’s too late.
“How does IVF tell you about egg and sperm quality?”
Patient: I understand how IVF helps with treatment. But how does it tell you about egg and sperm quality?
Dr. Malpani: IVF allows us to observe human reproduction in real time — something that is impossible inside the body.
- During an IVF cycle, we can see:
- How many eggs are retrieved?
- How many are mature?
- How many fertilise?
- How many grow into embryos?
- How many reach the blastocyst stage?
And how good those blastocysts look
This gives us objective, visual evidence of egg quality and sperm competence — not guesswork, not assumptions.
It’s far more informative than blood tests, scans, or hormone reports alone.
“Then why do some clinics avoid giving detailed information?”
Patient: If IVF gives so much information, why don’t all clinics explain it clearly?
Dr. Malpani: Because transparency takes confidence.
A good IVF clinic is proud of its lab, its embryologists, and its results. Such clinics:
- Routinely grow embryos to the blastocyst stage (Day 5)
- Take clear embryo photographs
- Share these images with patients
- Explain embryo grading honestly
- Transfer only one embryo to ensure safety
- A poor-quality clinic, on the other hand, often does the opposite.
“What do bad IVF clinics do differently?”
Patient: What should patients watch out for?
Dr. Malpani: There are a few red flags that I always warn patients about:
❌ Day 3 transfers as routine
This often means the lab cannot reliably grow embryos to Day 5.
❌ No embryo photographs
If a clinic cannot show you images of your embryos, ask yourself why.
❌ Multiple embryo transfers
This is usually done to hide poor embryo quality and artificially boost success rates — at the cost of dangerous multiple pregnancies.
❌ Vague explanations
Phrases like “embryo quality was average” or “nature decided” without visual proof are often used to avoid accountability.
❌ Pressure to proceed blindly
Good clinics encourage questions. Bad clinics discourage them.
“Why are blastocysts so important?”
Patient: You keep emphasizing blastocysts. Why are they so important?
Dr. Malpani: Because blastocysts are the ultimate quality check.
Only embryos with good genetic and metabolic potential survive to Day 5. Reaching the blastocyst stage tells us:
- The egg and sperm were competent
- The lab culture conditions are excellent
- The embryo has real implantation potential
- If a clinic consistently produces good-quality blastocysts, it’s a strong sign that:
- Their lab standards are high
- Their embryologists are skilled
- Their protocols are evidence-based
That’s why I firmly believe that the IVF lab matters more than the IVF doctor.
“Why do some clinics still do multiple embryo transfers?”
Patient: Some clinics insist on transferring two or three embryos to improve chances. Is that wrong?
Dr. Malpani:
- It’s outdated and unsafe.
- Transferring multiple embryos:
- Increases the risk of twins or triplets
- Raises the chance of premature delivery
- Increases maternal complications
- Does NOT significantly improve live birth rates
- The best clinics aim for one healthy baby at a time, not the highest pregnancy rate on paper.
- Single blastocyst transfer is the gold standard worldwide.
“So IVF also helps me judge my clinic?”
Patient: That’s quite eye-opening. So IVF isn’t just about getting pregnant?
Dr. Malpani: Exactly.
An IVF cycle gives you:
✔ Diagnostic information about egg and sperm quality
✔ Prognostic information about future success
✔ A real-world audit of your clinic’s competence
In many ways, it’s like a stress test — not just for your biology, but for the clinic’s honesty and skill.
“What should I ask my IVF clinic?”
Dr. Malpani: Here are some powerful questions every patient should ask:
- Will you grow my embryos to the blastocyst stage?
- Will I get photographs of my embryos?
- How many embryos do you recommend transferring — and why?
- What is your blastocyst formation rate?
- Will you explain the grading in simple language?
If the answers are vague, defensive, or dismissive — consider that a warning sign.
IVF should empower you, not confuse you.
- A good IVF clinic has nothing to hide.
- A good doctor welcomes informed patients.
- And a good IVF cycle teaches you more than any test ever can.
The more you understand, the better decisions you can make — and the less likely you are to be misled.
Please get your doubts resolved free using our chatbot which is powered by AI based on Dr Malpani’s 40 years of clinical expertise and experience at
👉 https://www.drmalpani.com/chat-w-chatbot/index.html
This will ensure you’re on the right path and potentially save significant costs in the long run.