Welcome friends. Your search for the right information about infertility and IVF treatments ends here. We at Pearl women’s hospital & Yash IVF, a complete women’s care hospital often flooded with cases of infertility. Infertility is not an issue, it is a medical condition which is treatable if done in time with medical expertise.

IVF treatments is not merely a step-wise process. To achieve the dream of parenthood, along with you, Gynaecologists, andrologists, nurses and psychologists, and counsellors are the professionals who attend you from the very beginning.

However, there are also other important professionals in fertility hospitals who work silently & with no direct contact with patients & yet help you to realise the joy of motherhood. These specialist are the one, who has seen your baby growing from a single cell. They are mainly embryologists.

 “It is without doubt, that embryologists work tirelessly to help families achieve their dream of bringing a healthy baby home”

They are mainly embryologists, these embryologists are biologists, whose role inside the laboratory is very important.

IVF TREATMENTS WHO ARE THE EMBRYOLOGISTS?

An embryologist is a reproduction biology specialist. who is in charge of the assessment of eggs, sperm & embryos in order to achieve fertilisation.

Although most of the decisions related to IVF treatments are often taken by the team of doctors, it is up to the embryologists to decide on the specific treatment, as well as coordinating the development of every activity in the laboratory.

 Couples are often advised blood tests to assess their fertility potential. Haemogram, thyroid testing, AMH & other hormone profiles are often done in such cases. Men usually go through semen analysis. Once gynaecologists and andrologists have diagnosed the specific issue, along with senior embryologists, the most appropriate treatment depending on the woman’s age, and sperm quality is planned. Broadly speaking, 3 different approaches can be considered: intrauterine insemination, in vitro fertilization & Intra cytoplasmic sperm injection.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is probably the least invasive procedure. It is indicated in tube obstruction, cervical factor infertility or erectile dysfunction, & even some other unclear fertility issues.

IUI requires Embryologists to perform different procedures based on their evaluation of motile sperm that allows for the selection of the best gametes.

Couples suffering from low sperm count or low sperm motility on the male side, damaged Fallopian tubes or endometriosis on the female side are usually recommended to resort to either in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intra cytoplasmic sperm injection. In both cases, ovarian stimulation is required for women. Hormonal stimulation of the ovary increase increases the oocytes produced during the cycle; these oocytes must reach a minimum size in order to mature and be retrieved for the following procedures (either IVF or ICSI. The collection of oocytes is done through laparoscopic transvaginal surgery.

In cases of severe male factors, infertility may require the use of ICSI . This procedure consists of the injection of an individual sperm into the mature oocyte, thus being actually fertilised by the embryologist, one by one.

Sperm selection is based on morphology & motility. 24 hours after the procedure is done, embryologists verify whether fertilisation has occurred by looking under the microscope. The presence of 2 pronuclei is the first sign of fertilisation (one from each gamete), & they are to be fused into a single one in a process called syngamy.

It is of utmost importance to carry out such a procedure with accuracy and precision ,as it’s the transfer of genetic material that develops the baby. Strict hygienic & sterile conditions under specific media and reagents.

Every Inch of the embryology lab needs to be maintained as per the guidelines laid down by authorities. The use of any perfume, or deodorant & alike is completely forbidden just to prevent potential volatile organic compounds (VOS) from affecting developing embryos.

 In the laboratory, the use of caps, masks &disinfectants are mandatory for embryologists. Embryos are quickly placed in incubators that act as the natural environment of the uterus.

The embryology lab is where the time is set according to the procedure. Every second counts as procedures must be done at an exact time point in order to guarantee their success until transfer day.

Routine maintenance of the laboratory & equipment, sperm handling & processing for IUI, IVF & ICSI, cryopreservation of biological material, tissue sampling for biopsies for genetic analyses & PGD, or even embryo culture is of great importance. There is a strict & exhaustive record of the procedures for safety purposes.  A healthy baby is actually the outcome of the embryologist’s work to evaluate gametes & embryos.

Embryologists choose which ones are the most appropriate to be used & which should be kept for future use if, needed.

 Embryologists are the architect of the baby. The process of developing a tissue from a single cell is the most difficult and needs only the best in terms of infrastructure, expertise, knowledge & teamwork, excellent media and reagents.

We at pearl women’s hospital and Yash IVF, have Dr Ashwini Ganapule as embryology lab director. It is under the capable guidance of Dr Ashwini Ganapule, that the institute is adopting the best practices & certifications. She has international exposure to best practices in embryology.

In her own words, It is really wonderful to be a part and parcel of a fertility journey, while reassuring them & in the lab creating & caring for that little tiny cell, witnessing the miracle of multiplication. It’s a single cell on a tube or Petri plate, and then on day 5, it’s a life, that moves ahead in the womb. I silently listen to the music of my heart and wait patiently for 9 months.

Who says, the child belongs only to mothers? We as a team, are the mothers of every child born in embryology labs. It’s an amazing feeling and just feel honoured to be a part of such a process.

See More – WHAT IS IVF? BIRTHING OF MOTHER & HER CHILD