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The assisted reproductive technology (ART) lab plays an essential role in supporting your fertility journey. Dr. Mehta is working with TRIO Fertility which has the longest-running on-site IVF lab in Canada with the best embryology team. It’s one of the many ways that we help our patients have the best chances of success in growing their families.

TRIO Fertility has the most experienced team of embryologists in Canada. There are more than 15 members working onsite in the lab. Several members of the team have been doing IVF since it was first offered in Canada in the mid 1980s.

Precision of the processes and quality control are all very important aspects of embryology. The egg gets aspirated from the follicular fluid and carefully put it into a sterile dish. It is then gently washed and placed directly into an incubator. Since it has been taken from its natural environment, every measure is taken to decrease any possible stresses on an egg. This is to mimic the uterine environment as much as possible. The incubator is warm and humid, and a nutritive media is used nourish the eggs and embryos.

TRIO’s lab is a one hundred percent time lapse facility. The embryos can be observed without being disturbed or removed from their environment during development. Our technological capabilities — including spindleview, assisted hatching, embryo biopsy, high powered microscope micromanipulation, and more provides the embryologist the ability to work with eggs, sperm and embryos in high definition, providing a maximized quality of care.

TRIO uses the most sophisticated technology ensuring the accuracy and safety of patient’s identification. Each patient has a unique identification number, as well as a bar coding system associated with each patient’s name, unique identification number and a designated barcode. Barcode labels with unique identification numbers are placed on each dish or tube that comes into contact with eggs, sperm and embryos. The bar codes are then verified before each procedure by scanning them to ensure accuracy. All eggs, sperm and embryos are accounted for 100 percent of the time.

TRIO’s lab has a sophisticated and dedicated air handling system that ensures an optimal environment for the eggs, and embryos. The HEPA filtration deliver surgical grade air quality and 45 air changes per hour, filtering out VOC’s (volatile organic compounds such as chemicals, fumes, toxins), and other particles, including viruses and bacteria.

In addition to their extensive education and experience, TRIO’s embryologists have achieved certification through the CFAS. TRIO’s lab director was on the committee that developed this certification, which is focused on specific lab competency objectives for embryologists in Canadian labs.

All of the equipment in our lab is kept at precisely 37 degrees centigrade, or body temperature – optimal for eggs and embryos.