EmbryoScopes with a mixed atmosphere

15.1.2021 · 1 min reading

For an even greater chance of successful fertilisation, we decided to start using a mixed atmosphere in our EmbryoScopes to more closely approximate the environment in a woman's uterus.

Most laboratories today still cultivate embryos in an environment with a high oxygen content (20%), which negatively affects their development, quality and viability. In the natural environment, the oxygen concentration in the womb is between 2% and 8%.

The high concentration of oxygen in the culture medium induces the formation of oxygen radicals, which cause oxidative stress that leads to poor embryo development and increases the degree of fragmentation. In contrast, a reduced concentration of oxygen dramatically increases the number of embryos that reach the blastocyst stage. The number of pregnant women and number of babies born also increases. In addition, a larger number of blastomeres are observed on the third day of development, which is a very desirable effect at this stage (Kasterstein et al., 2013).

4 min reading · Articles

Pregnancy Tests: When to Take One and How to Read the Result

For most women, a pregnancy test is the first real answer to a question they have been turning over for days. But the test only works if the timing is right — take it too soon and even a genuine pregnancy can show up as negative. Here is what actually determines a reliable result, and what to do once you have one.

3 min reading · Articles

Premenstrual Syndrome (PMS): Symptoms, Causes and What Really Helps

The premenstrual syndrome (PMS) affects many women of reproductive age. It encompasses a wide range of physical and psychological complaints that regularly occur in the second half of the cycle — i.e. in the days before menstruation — and disappear after the period begins. PMS is not imaginary, but a medically recognised condition.