Role of an Embryologist in Infertility Treatment
Infertility treatment plays a very important in the lives of many couples, wishing to become parents. It acts as the only hope for them, giving them fruitful results. In infertility treatment, the role of each team member in addressing the couple and individual is crucial. One of these team members is an Embryologist, who shapes the dreams of countless families through their expertise, care, and innovative techniques.
Those facing infertility can find hope with the help of embryo transfer services in Lucknow, which are backed by the expertise of professional embryologists.
What is Infertility?
Infertility is a condition where couples are not able to get pregnant naturally. Here, the couple wants to have a baby but faces problems in conceiving or fertilization.Â
Today, infertility has become a global phenomenon faced by many individuals and couples. According to stats nearly 10-15% of couples are facing infertility issues worldwide.Â
Facing infertility is not merely a biological or physical problem, but it has become a profound emotional burden for couples. This has led to various mental and emotional complexities such as depression, frustration, sadness, and despair.
But there was a ray of hope when various types of infertility treatment came to light. Infertility treatment mainly involves fertilizing the egg with the sperm either in the womb or in the laboratory.Â
One of these infertility treatments is In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
How Infertility is Treated through IVF?
In Vitro Fertilization is a process of performing fertilization outside the female’s body. In this procedure, the egg is retrieved from the woman’s ovaries under general anesthesia and fertilized with the sperm taken out from her partner’s body. Both the egg and sperm are fused in a lab dish. After fertilization is successful and embryos are formed, the fertilized egg is transferred back to the woman’s uterus to establish a successful pregnancy.Â
IVF is a type of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) used to help people conceive a baby when they are facing difficulty in getting pregnant naturally.
The procedure of IVF is meticulous and requires skills, knowledge, and expertise to carry it out with perfection and achieve success.Â
All the Embryologists and the best IVF doctors in Lucknow get special and strict training to carry out the process. That’s why embryologists are one of the crucial team members of the whole IVF team.Â
Who are Embryologists and what do they do?
A very common question asked by patients when looking for infertility treatment. Embryologists are the architects of new life. They specialize in the study and manipulation of embryos. These specialists perform various crucial tasks along with the fertility specialist to help the couples achieve their dream of parenthood.Â
Below are some of the crucial tasks performed by the embryologists:Â
Creating Favorable Conditions: Embryologists are the witnesses of every stage of embryo development, starting from fertilization to implantation. Their main job is to carefully monitor embryos in the laboratory and create favorable conditions for growth and viability. With the help of techniques like In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), they perform the procedure of bringing the egg and sperm together and beginning the journey of the embryo.Â
Laboratory Techniques: In the laboratory, embryologists use their skills to maximize the chance of conception. These include embryo culture, embryo grading, and cryopreservation. In this process, the main focus is to select the healthiest embryos for transfer so that chances of successful pregnancy can be increased.Â
Fertility Treatment Procedures: Embryologists along with fertility specialists perform various procedures planned to overcome infertility of the individual. The procedure may include, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) where the fertilization is done outside the body, and Intrauterine Insemination (IUI), where the sperm is directly inserted into the uterus. The procedure entirely depends on the individual’s needs and conditions.
There are some very important activities done by embryologists during fertility treatment procedures such as egg retrieval, embryo development, embryo transfer, and egg freezing.
Maintaining Quality Control and Assurance: Another responsibility of embryologists is to follow the protocols, rules, and regulations strictly because the safety and security of fertility treatment are essential. They adhere to strict quality control measures, maintain precise records, and follow standardized protocols. This not only helps in smooth workflow but also minimizes the risk of confusion and other complexities.Â
Personalized Care and Support: Outside the laboratory, embryologists provide emotional support to individuals and couples to keep their hopes high and wish for the best. They also offer guidance, answer questions, and provide solutions in every step of the process.Â
Embryonic Research: Embryologists are also involved in various research studies and technological innovation. They keep on updating their knowledge by studying the development of embryos to understand the fundamental biological process. This helps them to bring changes and advancement in the fields of medicine, genetics, and development biology.Â
Genetic Screening: Embryologists also perform genetics screening where they look for any genetic disorders or chromosomal abnormalities in the embryo. This helps the fertility specialist to plan accordingly if any further treatment is required or not.Â
Cryopreservation: It is also known as freezing and storing embryos and gametes (eggs and sperm) for future use. This process allows couples to preserve their fertility due to some medical or personal reasons.Â
Conclusion
In conclusion, the role of all the team members is equally important and appreciated when it comes to a successful IVF procedure, but embryologists have some special tasks to be done during the whole procedure, which are meticulous and full of risks. That’s why proper training is provided to all embryologists so that they can handle any risk and complexities with their intellect and knowledge.Â