EP 92: The Embryologist – what goes on in a fertility lab

EP 92: The Embryologist – what goes on in a fertility lab

The Embryologist explained.

          Rachel Cutting, MBE

Meet Rachel, Principal Embryologist  at the Centre for Reproductive Medicine and Fertility, at Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. 

I’m always fascinated by embryologists who play such a vital role in your fertility treatment.

The expertise an embryologist performs in the lab is essential to the journey of our precious embryos, as they are nurtured in the lab ready for the all important transfer.

In our chat, Rachel explains how time lapse photography has been a massive development in how embryologists work.

It means embryos are constantly monitored without being disturbed.

Rachel shares her feelings on the success of the technology and whether it should be included in fertility treatment packages or sold as an ‘add on’ which currently happens.

We discuss genetic screening and the benefits of tests which are known as Preimplantation Genetic Screening (PGS)  a test that examines the chromosome material of an embryo.  

This test can tell if the appropriate number of chromosomes are present (46), or if an abnormal number of chromosomes are present.

Rachel explains who this would be a viable treatment for and what scenarios it could give insight to.

You can follow Rachel on twitter here