HOW LIFE BEGINS IN THE HANDS OF AN EMBRYOLOGIST?

A critical part of the IVF process, embryologists like Dr. Goral Gandhi are crucial in ensuring healthy conception and babies through Assisted Reproduction Techniques.

Assisted reproduction depends largely on how the embryos are developed and pre-selected to improve the chances of a successful IVF, and the work of an embryologist revolves around the process. From the point of collecting eggs to transferring embryos, the role of an embryologist is crucial in the entire process of IVF.

Ensuring the safety of patients’ fertility materials in the form of egg and sperms, and helping patients improve their chance at pregnancy during an IVF cycle, embryologists help childless parents procreate healthy babies. Surely for couples longing for children, the embryologists act like a ray of hope, but how do they make test tube miracles happen?

Critical role of an embryologist during an IVF cycle

The process of procreating a future baby in a lab sounds overwhelming but frames the everyday job of an embryologist. In the IVF treatment, an embryologist majorly takes over the process during the phase of egg retrieval.

Goral Gandhi (Indo Nippon IVF ) a professional embryologist, who dedicates her time and efforts in helping patients conceive says, “The ultimate objective of any ART procedure is the birth of a healthy baby which can be achieved through an elective single embryo transfer. Our roles require a great degree of precision and care when it comes to patients’ precious genetic material in the form of eggs, sperms and embryos. The process of embryo selection for the best possible IVF results is critical to the role of an embryologist, as our decisions impact a patient’s success with IVF.”

Goral Gandhi (Indo Nippon IVF )  has actively worked towards the science of ART and IVF in India. Training more than 300 embryologists, she has educated doctors, scientists and embryologists in various aspects of IVF, embryology, and laboratory management. She also conducts ART workshops, including training in IUI, IVF, ICSI, Verification, and Trouble Shooting in India, UAE, and Jordon.

Explaining the process and the defined role embryologists play, Evelyn E. Neuber, Ph. DCLD (ABB),

 Clinical Research Coordinator at the Center for Advanced Reproductive Services at UCONN says “During egg retrieval, a doctor collects follicular fluid containing an egg from a patient’s ovary and then hands it to the embryologist who is responsible for isolating the egg from the liquid and preparing it for insemination with the sperm; during embryo transfer, the embryologist loads the embryo onto the catheter and hands it forward to do the MD embryo transfer.”

That said, it can be concluded that the main part of professional baby-making, which is embryonic development– from retrieval to maturation, lies under the supervision and control of an embryologist. “Embryologists are fertility experts with a wide-ranging role. We are also critical to a patient’s journey towards parenthood although we work behind the scenes most of the time. For example, we are responsible for fusing the sperm and egg extracted from the patient, hoping that it will lead to successful embryo development. Once the eggs are collected and the sperm is washed and prepared, the embryologist gets to work,” explained Alberto Liñán Tegedor, Director of the IVF laboratory and Embryologist at IVI Middle East Fertility Clinic in Oman.

Not only that, but they also perform extended roles by emotionally and medically supporting their patients and offering them the leverage to plan parenthood whenever they want through the process of embryo verification.

Thus, embryologists play a key role in delivering happiness to parents through successful pregnancies. It is, however, majorly a result of successful scientific advances and awareness around the help available for couples dealing with infertility that embryologists today see and perform miracles in the form of healthy test-tube babies.