RoboICSI® offers a novel way to grasp cells using bio compatible material, which offer several advantages compared to the traditional micro-pipette aspiration-based immobilization
Gentle handling of cells
RoboICSI® ’s intelligent passive force-limiting technology ensures that the oocyte that is grasped is not damaged even if the embryologist makes a mistake
Quick and hassle-free installation
RoboICSI® is designed and developed keeping in mind the current devices that are used in ICSI workbenches. RoboICSI®’s plug-and-play system allows the user to quickly plug the system, perform and the auto-calibration and get started in about a day
Easy onboarding and seamless integration
RoboICSI® is easy to learn, which allows clinics to add it into their workflow without much hassle
Eliminates subjectivity while handling oocytes
Performs routine tasks and reduces fatigue.Augments the embryologists and maximizes their potentials
RoboICSI® is a robust device. It replaces the use of pneumatic pump, making it easier to handle with an easy-to-use and intuitive control.
Not-fragile
The conventional ICSI holding pipette is made of glass and has a tendency to break while handling the oocytes. RoboICSI® replaces the glass pipette with a Holder made up of silicone elastomer, which is not fragile.
Automated
Data is collected automatically throughout the process.
Gentle manipulation of oocytes
The Holder which is designed to be soft, ensures no oocytes are harmed during the ICSI procedure (even inadvertently).
Medicall is India’s largest hospital equipment expo.
Each year, Medicall recognises promising Made in India, made for the world intentions every year through the Medicall Innovation Awards.
SpOvum’s RoboICSI was recognised at the Medicall 2021 Innovation awards in the Medical Equipment category.
This was an opportunity to present our innovation to a panel of experienced Jury and diverse audience at the Medicall 2021, helping get valuable inputs, apart from improving our outreach.
With a declining #population, the average age is likely higher than the reported 28 and increasing. Businesses focused on the older population might be an interesting area going ahead, while some industries may be affected badly. Thoughts? pic.twitter.com/BGueDyk3Jy
Infertility is the inability to conceive after a year of trying or the inability to carry a pregnancy to term. There are several risk factors that can increase a couple’s likelihood of experiencing infertility. These risk factors include:
Age: As a woman gets older, her fertility naturally declines. This is due to a decrease in the number and quality of eggs that are available for fertilization. The same is true for men, although to a lesser extent.
Lifestyle factors: Certain lifestyle factors, such as smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, drug use, and being overweight or underweight, can increase the risk of infertility.
Health conditions: Certain health conditions, such as polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), can affect fertility.
Environmental factors: Exposure to certain environmental toxins, such as pesticides and heavy metals, can increase the risk of infertility.
Family history: A family history of infertility can increase the risk of fertility problems in both men and women.
Medical treatments: Some medical treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy, can affect fertility.
It is important for couples to be aware of these risk factors and to discuss any concerns with a healthcare provider.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided in here is for general educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Do not rely on the information provided here for decision-making or self-treatment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, seek immediate medical attention.
Infertility is the inability to conceive after a year of trying or the inability to carry a pregnancy to term. There are several treatments available to help couples overcome infertility and have a successful pregnancy. Here are some common infertility treatments:
Fertility medications: These medications can help regulate a woman’s menstrual cycle and stimulate the production of eggs. Examples include clomiphene citrate (Clomid), letrozole, and gonadotropins.
Intrauterine insemination (IUI): IUI involves placing sperm inside a woman’s uterus to facilitate fertilization. It is often used in cases of mild male factor infertility or when the woman is using donor sperm.
In vitro fertilization (IVF): IVF involves fertilizing an egg with sperm in a laboratory dish, and then transferring the resulting embryo into the woman’s uterus. It is often used in cases of infertility that cannot be treated with other methods, such as when the woman has blocked or damaged fallopian tubes or the man has a low sperm count.
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): ICSI involves injecting a single sperm directly into an egg to facilitate fertilization. It is often used in cases of male factor infertility or when the couple is using donor sperm.
Assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs): ARTs are a group of fertility treatments that involve the handling of eggs and sperm in the laboratory. Examples include gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT).
Surgeries: Certain infertility issues, such as blocked fallopian tubes or uterine abnormalities, may be treated with surgery.
Donor eggs or sperm: In some cases, couples may choose to use donor eggs or sperm to achieve pregnancy.
It is important for couples experiencing infertility to discuss their treatment options with a fertility specialist and to consider the potential risks and benefits of each option.
DISCLAIMER: The information provided in here is for general educational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult a qualified healthcare provider for any questions you may have regarding a medical condition. Do not rely on the information provided here for decision-making or self-treatment. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, seek immediate medical attention.
Guidelines for Antenatal, Intranatal and Postnatal and New-born Management of COVID-19
The unprecedented scale of coronavirus infections or COVID-19 pandemic has affected the lives of millions of people across the globe. This has put tremendous strain on the health-care facilities and doctors, who are facing the direct brunt of this crisis and face numerous challenges in diagnosing and treating the affected people.
The central and state governments have been
actively working with medical bodies such as ICMR and health-care facilities to
formulate management guidelines for effectively tackling the growing number of
COVID-19 infections.
Some of the most vulnerable population groups in this COVID-19 pandemic are pregnant mothers, mothers who have recently delivered a child and new-born babies. The National Neonatology Forum’s (NNF) Karnataka State Chapter has taken the initiative to draft and issue the “Guidelines for Antenatal, Intranatal and Postnatal and New-born Management of COVID-19”.
The NNF Karnataka State Chapter has prepared a comprehensive and evidence-based set of guidelines for the diagnosis and management of COVID-19 during pregnancy and delivery. It has been prepared by leading and eminent Neonatologists, Gynaecologists and Obstetricians from Karnataka.
This guideline prescribing standard operating procedures (SOPs) for the management of pregnant mothers and new-borns was released on 24th July 2020. The guideline has been duly endorsed by the Honourable Chief Minister of Karnataka, Shri BS Yediyurappa, Deputy Chief Minister, Dr. Ashwath Narayan CN, Honourable Health Minister of Karnataka, Shri B. Sreeramulu and Honourable Medical Education Minister, Dr. K. Sudhakar.
Brief Background of COVID-19
Towards the end of 2019, a coronavirus was identified to be the cause of a cluster of pneumonia cases in the city of Wuhan in China. The virus rapidly reached an epidemic scale across China and subsequently throughout the world. In February 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) designated the disease caused by the coronavirus as COVID-19.
Recent studies have reported a variation in the viral genome of the coronavirus which has improved its ability to infect human cells. It has now become the dominant strain responsible for most COVID-19 cases. Common symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, breathing issues, headache, and abdominal pain.
The coronavirus is primarily transmitted through close-range person-to-person contact mainly via respiratory droplets from an infected individual. Other modes of transmission are airborne, fomite, faecal-oral, blood born, and mother to child. Globally there are now close to 24 million confirmed COVID-19 cases and 3.2 million cases in India alone as of August 2020.
Management of COVID-19 and Pregnancy
Pregnant women undergo physiological and immunological changes. In the case of COVID-19 infection, most pregnant women experience mild or moderate symptoms. With the existing data, there is no evidence of an increased risk of miscarriage in COVID-19 positive mothers. The risk of vertical transmission or transmission from mother to foetus is also very low. Transmission of COVID-19 from breast milk to baby is extremely rare.
Source: NNF Karnataka State Chapter: Guidelines for Antenatal, Intranatal and Postnatal and New-born Management of COVID-19, July 2020
Highlights of Guidelines for Obstetric Health Care
All pregnant women will be treated as COVID-19 suspects and all precautionary measures will be followed.
The pregnant patient will be placed in a separate ward, negative pressure will be maintained in the Operation theatres (OT), the patients will wear a triple-layer mask.
All healthcare professionals must wear Personal Protection Equipment (PPE).
The Department of health and family welfare should be immediately notified for suspected COVID-19 cases and testing should be done at Government accredited labs.
The healthcare centres must maintain a registry of confirmed COVID-19 cases.
Healthcare centres will follow universal mask policy i.e. all visitors, patients, doctors, medical and non-medical staff will wear masks.
Sanitization of diagnostic equipment such as ultrasound machines will be done after each use.
Criteria for testing for COVID-19
Under certain circumstances, the pregnant patient will be needed to undergo testing for COVID-19. The following criteria will be used to prescribe the COVID-19 test:
Symptomatic persons will travel history in the past 14 days.
Patients with severe respiratory illness.
An asymptomatic person who has had direct contact with confirmed COVID-19 case.
In addition, ICMR has announced mandatory testing of patients living in COVID-19 hotspots or containment zones even if they are asymptomatic.
Management of pregnant patients with COVID 19
Most COVID-19 positive pregnant patients exhibit only mild symptoms. Severe symptoms are observed among immunosuppressed patients and patients with chronic conditions such as diabetes, lung disease, etc. Nevertheless, apart from the general precautions, particular considerations will be given to pregnant patients with COVID-19. Some of these include:
Maintaining
high oxygen levels and keep saturations > 94%.
Conduct
radiographic investigations such as chest X-ray using abdominal shielding.
Periodic
blood analysis to monitor white blood cell count and prescribe antibiotics when
necessary.
Current
guidelines however do not recommend the use of Hydroxychloroquine or
antiviral drugs in pregnant women.
Postnatal care for mothers with COVID-19
Limited information is available on the severity of COVID-19 symptoms exhibited in new-born babies born to mothers with COVID-19. However, the risk of transmission from mother to child after birth exists. Individualized care is recommended on a case-to-case basis after a thorough risk and benefit analysis with neonatologists and the concerned families.
Breastfeeding guidelines for mothers with COVID-19
It is extremely rare for transmission of COVID-19 from mother to baby through breast milk. It is strongly recommended to initiate breastfeeding within 1 hour of birth and that the baby is exclusively breastfed for the first 6 months.
Source: NNF Karnataka State Chapter: Guidelines for Antenatal, Intranatal and Postnatal and New-born Management of COVID-19, July 2020
Mothers confirmed with COVID-19 should breastfeed the baby with facemask and practice hand hygiene.
Face-mask should be worn during all events of contact with new-born.
If the baby and mother are required to be separated temporarily, expressed breast milk is strongly recommended to be given to the new-born by a healthy caregiver.
Gloves must be worn by the caregiver when receiving bottles of expressed breast milk. After securing the cap, the bottles should be wiped with viricidal wipes and air-dried on a clean surface.
In addition, the NNF Karnataka State Chapter also provides general guidelines for Basic Hospital Management, Visitor Policy, Managing Biomedical Waste, Mental Health and Wellness support for Patients and Healthcare Professionals and District Wise Government Helpline numbers in Karnataka.
Acknowledgements: We would like to acknowledge the Dr. Prashnath and Dr. Jyothi Bandi from LittleBaby Clinic for kindly permitting us to disseminate this information for the benefit of all.
Female gamete plays a crucial role in determining embryo competence and therefore in-vitro fertilization (IVF) results. Some morphological irregularities in oocytes can be easily assessed at the light microscopy level.
Oocyte morphological assessment in the laboratory is first based on the presentation of the cumulus–corona cells. For mature oocytes, the cumulus–corona mass should appear as an expanded and mucified layer, due to active secretion of hyaluronic acid.
Following the removal of the cumulus–corona cells in preparation for intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), oocyte evaluation is more accurate and is based on the nuclear maturation status, the morphology of the cytoplasm and on polar body (PBI) is normally considered to be a marker of oocyte nuclear maturity.
An ideal mature human oocyte, based on morphological characteristics, should have a ‘normal-looking’ cytoplasm, a single polar body, an appropriate zona pellucida (ZP) thickness and proper perivitelline space (PVS). However, the majority of the oocytes retrieved after ovarian hyperstimulation exhibit one or more variations in the described ‘ideal’ morphological criteria.
Only a few morphologically detectable features of the Metaphase II oocyte indicate compromised developmental ability. Extracytoplasmic anomalies in PBI morphology, PVS size, the appearance of the ZP are simply phenotypic variations often related to in vitro culture and/or oocyte aging. On the other hand, a special deviation in the cytoplasmic texture, namely the presence of aggregations of smooth endoplasmic reticulum (SER) is potentially lethal and developmental competence of these oocytes should be interpreted with caution.
Oocyte morphology may also reflect genetic abnormalities. This is the case for giant oocytes that contain one additional set of chromosomes. These oocytes, when occurrence of giant oocytes is relatively rare after ovarian hyperstimulation, the use of these cells for IVF is dangerous.
Oocyte nuclear maturity, as assessed by light microscopy, is assumed to be at the MII stage when the PBI is visible in the PVS .
The MII stage is characterized by the alignment of the homologous chromosomes on the spindle equatorial plate during metaphase of the second meiotic division. It is generally recognized that 85% of the retrieved oocytes following ovarian hyper stimulation display the PBI and are classified as MII, whereas 10% present an intracytoplasmic nucleus called the ‘germinal vesicle’ characteristic of prophase I of the first meiotic division. Approximately 5% of the oocytes have neither a visible GV nor PBI and these oocytes are generally classified as MI oocytes. These oocytes may, however, be at the GV breakdown stage where the nuclear envelope has broken down but has not as yet progressed to true MI where the chromosomes are aligned on the metaphase plate in preparation for the completion of the first meiotic division.
