ABSTRACT

There are a number of ways to set up and operate a successful assisted reproduction technology (ART) laboratory; one set-up may have little in common with another but prove to be equally successful. This is important to remember as one ventures into establishing a new clinic. Facilities for ART range from a makeshift in vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratory with a minimum of equipment to a fully equipped laboratory specifically designed for ART and with additional space dedicated to clinical care and research. This chapter does not cover makeshift laboratories, which may incorporate retrieval and transport of gametes and embryos from other locations. While such models can be successful under some circumstances, compelling evidence showing that they produce optimal results is still lacking (1, 2). Both IVF and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) can be applied to transported oocytes, and in certain situations “transport IVF” is a welcome alternative for those patients whose reproductive options have been limited by restrictive governmental regulations (3, 4). This chapter discusses the more typical purpose-built, all-inclusive laboratories that are adjacent or in close proximity to oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer facilities, with an emphasis on the special problems of construction. For choices of culture system, culture medium, supplementation, viability assays, and handling and processing of gametes and embryos, including freezing and vitrification, the reader is referred to other relevant chapters in this textbook.