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Chapter 2 - Incubators for Embryo Culture

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 April 2021

By
Borut Kovačič
Edited by
Kersti Lundin  and
Aisling Ahlström
Kersti Lundin
Affiliation:
Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg
Aisling Ahlström
Affiliation:
Livio Fertility Center, Gothenburg
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Summary

Incubators represent the most important piece of equipment in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratory since embryos spend the largest part of their in vitro development within an incubator’s atmosphere. Incubators, together with embryo culture media, are intended to directly and indirectly provide stable physicochemical conditions that best mimic the natural environment in the female reproductive tract. The stability of these conditions significantly influences the success of the IVF program. Modern incubators can be very sophisticated devices that can be upgraded with integrated micro cameras and linked to computer programs. Although the incubator’s technical details may sometimes be difficult to understand, it is important for clinical embryologists to know how to control incubator operation and properly maintain stable physical and hygienic conditions.

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Chapter
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Manual of Embryo Culture in Human Assisted Reproduction , pp. 7 - 19
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

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