Supporters
Developed in Cooperation with the Middle East Fertility Society

ACGME COMPETENCY
Patient Care
 

NEEDS ASSESSMENT AND COURSE DESCRIPTION
The IVF laboratory is an integral part of all assisted reproduction programs. Advances in technology, as well as accumulation of data on existing technology, require continuous reevaluation of IVF laboratory practice, revision of old techniques and implementation of new methodologies and practices when and where warranted. Change, however, is not trivial and requires in-depth and up-to-date knowledge and information. Moreover, in many areas of  practice, there are conflicting opinions and data presented in the literature, and without proper analysis of this information, implementation of practices to improve laboratory quality is difficult, if not impossible.
Designed for obstetricians and gynecologists and other physicians specializing in fertility as well as laboratory scientists and technicians, this course aims to provide the attendees with concise information aggregated and analyzed by experts on new technologies and laboratory practice guidelines. It will also provide an interactive forum for discussion of pertinent topics that have been the subject of controversy, including the question of how to provide the optimal laboratory and culture environment for human embryos; new methods of embryo selection for transfer that have been proposed, including minimally invasive techniques of embryo viability assessment; oocyte and embryo cryopreservation using vitrification will be discussed in the context of improving the efficiency of IVF; critical evaluation of methods aimed at mitigating gamete and embryo abnormalities; single embryo transfer; and methods to enhance implantation.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
After participating in this course, participants should be able to:
1. Summarize the elements of a safe and efficient IVF laboratory environment and identify the elements of an optimal culture environment for human embryos.

2. Explain emerging �OMICS� technologies and discuss their utility in ART.

3. Discuss the current state of evidence regarding patient selection for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI),vitrification and slow freezing methods for cryopreservation of human oocytes and embryos, assisted hatching and co-culture of zygotes, preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) technologies.

4. Summarize the current status of single embryo transfer in clinical practice.

5. Enumerate factors that affect implantation rates and describe the role of endometrial receptivity and embryo quality.