Research may boost IVF success rate
(sz) Higher success rates for in-vitro fertilisation may result from a University PhD student’s research into measurements to assess the quality of eggs. Gabe Redding, who graduates with a Doctor of Philosophy in bioprocess engineering this afternoon, described his research as a novel integration of reproductive biology and engineering.
“The objective was to investigate tools and technologies that can be used to select the best eggs during IVF,” Dr Redding says. “The work focused on the oxygen levels in the follicle as a measure of egg quality.”
In addition to finding that current IVF techniques can expose the eggs to potentially detrimental temperature drops, Dr Redding investigated devices for measuring oxygen levels in the follicle. Such devices may enable the best eggs to be selected.
At present, most IVF clinics only use visual grading of the eggs after they are harvested and later similar checks on quality of the embryos. “But IVF could be dramatically changed if there was some measure of egg or embryos quality,” Dr Redding says. more…
From: »Treat Infertility« (blog)