Know Your Embryologist

 

Let me introduce you to people known as embryologists. In layman terms, they are simply those who make babies in the lab. Early in my career, there was an incident related to work that I will never forget. My dad was out for his evening walk when I ran to catch up with him. He proudly introduced me to a bunch of his senior-citizen friends, “This is my daughter and she makes babies!” I could feel all the old hearts there do a somersault. I was red with embarrassment. “Make babies for other people in a lab with the help of IVF,” I corrected him. My dad laughed, patted my back and said, “Yes, it is the same thing.” In my mind, to prevent such an incident from reoccurring, I vowed to give my dad a few lessons on the essentials of being an embryologist.

At the clinic, we are required to change into scrubs before we enter the lab in order to minimize the entry of dust and microorganisms. Scrubs are commonly worn by doctors, nurses, and medical students when at work. They are designed for comfort, and it is almost like being in your pyjamas. Our work is not restricted to the lab, and you may see us zipping in and out of it while wearing a mask. Our work schedules are planned according to the development of embryos. However, we do a lot more than lab work during our daily working hours. The following section of the article is a window to the role of an embryologist. It will unmask the person working behind the scenes to make your IVF journey successful. On a lighter note we—embryologists—can be considered your baby’s first babysitter.

Embryologists are key members of the clinical team performing IVF; they are the “baby makers” who work in conjunction with clinicians. Their insight is as important as the clinician’s advice in the process of selection of embryos for transfer.

Responsibilities of an Embryologist
Healthcare scientists working in clinical embryology are typically involved in:

· Collection of eggs and sperms (gametes) from patients for processing

· Micromanipulation and testing of suitability of each gamete
· Preparation of gametes and the environment for IVF
· Facilitation of fertilisation
· Embryo culture and cryopreservation
· Insemination of eggs to create embryos
· Freezing of sperms, eggs, and embryos
· Embryo grading and selection for transfer to the recipient women
· Observation and maintenance of cryobanks
· Compliance with quality control, ethical issues and regulations surrounding gamete and embryo handling
· Care and maintenance of medical equipment
· Record-keeping

What your embryologist wants you to know about your IVF treatment.

1. Every Embryo Is Different

Every egg, sperm, and the resulting combination of the two are different. This makes every attempt at IVF using different gametes a different experience. Reasons why some eggs do not fertilize, some embryos do not grow, why some don't freeze well or survive the thaw are little understood. Not every egg is meant to make a baby, just like not every sperm will fertilize an egg. 

2. Embryologists Can't Repair Eggs

Embryologists will take care of and nurture your gametes, but cannot repair or make an embryo better by culturing it in the laboratory. However, having a normal body mass index (BMI), not smoking, limiting alcohol consumption, and avoiding narcotics will prove beneficial to the success of IVF. 

3. Everyone’s IVF Journey and Outcome Are Different

In this process, it is not uncommon to seek comfort and support by reaching out and comparing yourself to others. It can feel reassuring when a person with a story similar to your own ended in success and happiness. However, it is important to keep in mind that everyone's IVF journey and outcomes are different and contrasting and comparing your experience with that of others may not prove beneficial. 

4. There Are No Magic Numbers That Will Guarantee Success

The Internet and online forums are often filled with misinformation about the number of eggs retrieved, embryos created, and embryo grading scores. Keep in mind that there are no magic numbers that indicate success. Embryo culture is a process designed for an embryologist to gather information about each individual embryo’s growth pattern and quality in order to effectively evaluate embryos for implantation potential. We pick the best you have. There are no indicators that can guarantee 100% success. 

5. Your Embryologist Wants the Best for You

There is no magic pill or protocol that we didn't tell you about. If we had something we thought would make the process successful for you, we would have told you in the beginning. As we gather information about your journey and your responses we may alter your clinical treatment, but we are always doing our best with the information we have.