OCR General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) Biology Practice Exam

After embryos are grown in IVF, what happens to them?

1. They are frozen for future use

2. Transferred to the woman’s uterus

3. Discarded if not viable

4. Used for cloning research

The correct answer is: Transferred to the woman’s uterus

After embryos are grown through in vitro fertilization (IVF), the typical and primary step is to transfer them to the woman’s uterus. This process is crucial because it allows for the chance of implantation and ultimately results in pregnancy if successful. The transfer typically occurs a few days after fertilization when the embryos have developed to a suitable stage. While embryos can indeed be frozen for future use, discarded if deemed not viable, or used in research settings, the standard and immediate next step following the growth of embryos in IVF is the transfer to the woman's uterus in hope of achieving a successful pregnancy. This procedure is designed to assist couples facing fertility issues and directly addresses their immediate goal of conception.