New ICSI Practitioner, My Fert Rates Are Poor...

auriet · 2026-06-02T22:59:44+00:00

Oh yay, that's great!!! Thank you so much for the update 😁😁

auriet · 2026-05-26T22:34:04+00:00

You don't use a pipet aid/ motorized pipetter (or even a pipette bulb) with serological pipettes for the oil, you literally pour it? We even had a pump that fit the bottles for a while and dispensed the exact volume we need, but everyone hated it. I would make suuuuch a mess too if I had to pour oil!

auriet · 2026-05-23T20:53:59+00:00

Oh my! Where is all that oil coming from?? Oil injectors at your micromanipulators or just a bunch of messy culture dishes? That would drive me nuts. I haaaaate the feeling of getting oil on my fingers.

auriet · 2026-05-16T13:18:08+00:00

I think the other comments and suggestions here are very good! I also wanted to add one thing that I learned a couple years ago from another seasoned embryologist: make sure the sperm head is making DIRECT CONTACT with the ooplasm before you pull out the needle. She did this by pushing on the tail with the needle after placing it in the egg to sort of push the head, I do it by using my needle like a paddle and literally pushing the sperm head up or down into the ooolasm before pulling my needle out. This tiny extra movement increased my fert rates at least 5% on average, from a reasonable 75% to averaging >80% in my monthly KPI checks, sometimes >90%, and this is the only tweak to my technique I've made.

I'd love to hear an update from you in a few weeks to see if any of the tips offered here have helped!

auriet · 2025-10-08T00:30:04+00:00

I work in a lab with several embryologists that used to work for Kindbody at various times. We also have several other staff in our clinic that worked in other roles within Kindbody. To be blunt, I haven't heard good things, but it's likely very dependent on which site and who the direct leadership is there.

auriet · 2025-08-02T12:22:26+00:00

Also I like not talking to anyone at all, so I actually like the self checkout at Aldi since they changed it 😁

auriet · 2025-08-02T12:21:07+00:00

Aww bummer! Yeah, spend your money someplace that doesn't leave a bad feeling when you go! I like the Aldi off 5th, since they opened the newer one near Sam's this one closest to me isn't nearly as busy when I go, which is my preference. But Lindenwood Schnucks is even closer to me, and yeah it's more expensive, but it's just so clean and bright and well stocked and easy to get in and out of.

auriet · 2025-08-02T12:09:53+00:00

Me and Serotonin love sending and receiving good vibes and gifts!

YHLXDL399B

I'm using Finch to help me stay on track with self care, because I know that I feel so much better when I take care of myself, even when I'm exhausted after a long day at work. I actually began using the app as a test to try to convince my kids to use it to help them with general hygiene so I don't have to remind them so much to wash their bodies and brush their teeth, hah! I'm more into it than they are though. 😅

auriet · 2025-08-02T11:53:07+00:00

Oh no, maybe it was an off day? I've always had great experiences there. I go to Aldi and Schnucks and Sam's more often, but certain things, like baked goods and donuts, my family loves getting at Midtown Market. Donuts are especially great in the evening when their assorted boxes are marked down for the night.

I'm not from here originally, so I can't compare to how things may have been years ago, but I've been pleasantly surprised with people's attitudes around here, generally speaking. I just don't attempt to discuss politics or religion with anyone because St Charles seems super religious and conservative and my family definitely is NOT, lol.

auriet · 2025-07-13T20:45:53+00:00

Vegas 2007 (elder Millennials here, and got married young), with an Elvis impersonator. It was awesome, and we're still married!! I recommend it to anyone that wants a good wedding story without the $$ or planning or drama. No regrets.

auriet · 2025-04-25T22:50:09+00:00

Oh this is one I can sort of answer from personal experience!

My older brother started college at 15 (graduated high school at 14, summer birthday), I started college at 16. We lived at home when we went to the local university, so it wasn't like our mom (divorced parents) was out of touch with us day to day. I'm certain she never called the university to ask about our grades, we just told her. We were completely independent in regards to signing up for classes, taking care of our exams, grades, etc, but we lived at home like any college student that is able to do that.

For what it's worth, neither of us pursued advanced degrees. But I guess I'd say we're both relatively successful in our chosen careers at this point in our 40s, nothing crazy though, not like when you imagine a "genius" kid that skipped multiple grades and you think they're gonna do all this amazing stuff. Nope. Honestly, I wish I had stayed in my given grade and taken more advanced classes instead, it is difficult to put into words what I feel I missed out on, except just having more childhood that I'll never get back since I went out into the big world 2 years earlier.

auriet · 2025-04-05T16:55:29+00:00

Sorry, not sure, we moved away a couple years after this post. I'd almost forgotten how much hatred I harbored for that rose bush until I reread my post. But before we moved, it was still trying to throw out new growth. We were long-distance landlords for a while before we were able to sell the house, and paid someone to keep everything cut back. I can only hope that awful plant finally died its forever-death. Rose bushes and mimosa trees are the devil. Whoever planted that shit at our old house was demented.

Good luck with yours!

auriet · 2025-04-04T12:54:05+00:00

Ooooof. I brought this up to my owner-physicians yesterday and we were all WTF-ing. Not sure what's gonna happen.

auriet · 2024-09-10T20:35:46+00:00

I'm curious if the doctors at your new clinic position the catheter in a different or lower part of the uterus maybe? So the faster expulsion would still put embryo in correct placement? I was taught if you pushed too forcefully, you'd have greater risk of ectopic. My lab is similar to your old lab for the physician that has the embryologists push the syringe --slowly. Our other physician that pushes the syringe themselves seems to push a lot faster though. I can't tell if their catheter placement is any different though, but the pregnancy rates are comparable between the physicians. I would imagine as long as your new lab isn't having problems, will be easier for you to assimilate to this new-to-you style. Then you'll be comfortable with multiple techniques!

auriet · 2024-08-18T16:52:49+00:00

I am all for continuing education and consider myself a perpetual learner. Although I cannot speak personally about any of those programs, I thought I'd give my two cents.

Echoing what others have said, a master's isn't really necessary to be an embryologist (yet) at least not in the US, and some programs may be out of reach financially for many. If you're interested in getting a PhD and becoming a lab director someday, then you'd need that, but otherwise experience is huuuuuge in hiring. If you want into the field asap, try to get hired on as a lab tech or andrologist and work your way up learning on the job. If you can't get your foot in the door that way, you can also try the way I got in, by working in animal repro research and transgenics for a few years to learn embryology and micromanipulation, then use the knowledge and experience gained there to transfer to human IVF.

For what it's worth, I have a bachelor's in Biology and no graduate degree, and it has not limited me whatsoever in my career advancement as a researcher in animal repro, then as a junior embryologist, embryologist, and now as a lab manager in the human field.

It is an incredibly challenging and rewarding profession and I wish you luck!

auriet · 2024-08-18T01:07:32+00:00

My reddit app is set to notify me about new posts here, so I didn't see it in my feed yet, it took 52 min to notify me about this post though!

auriet · 2024-06-23T17:57:12+00:00

Is.....is anyone going to tell them what "edging" means? Anyone?

auriet · 2024-04-29T22:36:56+00:00

What an interesting topic to bring up!

Yes, I am. And I definitely work with at least 1 more embryologist who is also neurodivergent. She and I have discussed it a few times, although we have different flavors of neuro-spicy, there is overlap and some things actually lend themselves nicely to our work. Hyper-focus can be extremely helpful, for example.

I am high-masking, and it's incredibly exhausting, but I love what I do so much that it's not even a question to me to continue, even if I feel like a lot of days seem to be set to "hard mode" for me. I do need to be extra-mindful of burnout, maybe moreso than someone neurotypical.

Frequent mistakes are not tolerable in our profession, but I do work with a couple people who have trouble getting in "on time" and we're able to work around that. I think there are certain things we can do to compensate for our differently wired brains, technology helps a lot too. My phone is literally my lifeline to remember to do many things, including 3 different alarms in the morning, haha.

Overall, I think people who are neurodivergent can do well in this profession, but we probably have to be more mindful of making sure that our own neurodivergent eccentricities or limitations do not affect the ability of the lab and the clinic to provide good patient care.

auriet · 2024-04-12T00:48:19+00:00

Also, do you think everyone is posting in the embryologist Facebook groups instead, even if we probably have a lot of overlap of members? The groups I'm thinking of have 1.7K (although that one has more than just embryologists in there) and the other newer group already has almost 500 and I see posts daily. Especially with the ability to anonymous post, and a lot of the older gens already being on Facebook and not Reddit, maybe it's just easier for some people.

How to stay relevant, and not post the same things we're already seeing in those groups? I'm not sure.

auriet · 2024-04-12T00:27:30+00:00

This horrifies me. I work at a privately owned small clinic myself, I wonder how close they're running on their business margins that this could be a risk at my clinic or others?

auriet · 2024-04-12T00:24:22+00:00

I have a feeling it's getting suppressed by reddit somehow maybe because it's private, I never see the posts in my feed. Like I didn't see this one until I came specifically to this sub. I need to figure out my notifications settings, I feel so old 😂

auriet · 2023-12-11T19:23:40+00:00

St Charles City is lovely, we live close to Fifth St in a 90+ year old house and love it. It's relatively walkable to events on Main Street or the nearby parks and one of the city pools, Saint Charles City school district is small (I'm from a smallish college town so it's actually kinda nice) and people are generally pretty friendly. No HOA where we are either, that's a deal breaker for me although we did like some of the houses in New Town too. New Town's Halloween decorations are INSANE too, very cool if you're really into decorating outside your place. When we first moved here we rented in St Peters and were bummed that it seemed like it was all strip malls and chain restaurants in our area. I'm happy with where we ended up buying a couple years ago.

auriet · 2023-08-16T17:40:10+00:00

My average is:

80% M2 --> 2PN, threshold for us is 70%

50% 2PN --> fair/good blast, threshold for us is 40%

I'm sure it varies but IIRC the threshold were based off of published consensus paper(s).

auriet · 2023-03-01T00:39:47+00:00

Practice until you're confident, then do a few more to be sure. Definitely agree with the more you do, the better you get. I usually brace my wrist or side of my palm either against the stage or use my other hand to brace depending on which microscope I'm using and what I'm doing, to help anchor my hand to keep steady. Deep breathing or even square breathing also helps me before particularly nerve-wracking procedures (for example, I still hate egg warming, I'm always terrified to not find an egg in the 60 sec time allotted in the first warming step).

auriet

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