GGIRHR

Embryology courses — What you need to know?

As infertility in India is on the rise, where every one couple in a six is going through challenges related to infertility, the demand for qualified professionals in embryology is rising.

Many super-specialty fertility clinics are offering assisted reproductive treatments. The field of assisted reproductive technology is continuously evolving, and this needs one to undergo the right training to become an embryologist.

An embryologist is an expert who does the study of eggs, sperm, and the embryos that they create. They are involved in IVF treatment of the patients right from the stage of diagnosis. The job of an embryologist is to test sperms and eggs to ascertain if there are any defects that they need to address before fertilization. The embryologists are responsible for following during an IVF cycle:

1. Evaluating and making available high-quality sperm.

2. Evaluating and ascertaining the quality of harvested eggs.

3. Fertilizing the eggs with sperm, and at times they may have to use intracytoplasmic sperm injection, in which the sperm is injected into the cytoplasm of the egg.

4. Keeping a check on embryos when they are developing and ensuring their health and quality.

5. Perform assisted hatching when the outer shell of the embryo becomes too thick. Then embryologists use a laser to help ‘cut open’ the outer layer of the embryo, to help it ‘hatch’.

6. Loading of the best quality embryos into the transfer catheter for embryo transfer.

7. Cryo-preserve the extra embryos that were not transferred during the IVF procedure so they may be kept for later use.

Another important role of embryologists is to perform preimplantation genetic diagnosis or PGD. During this test, they remove and analyze a single cell to rule out any genetic diseases in the embryo. This PGD process helps ensure the transfer of healthy embryos, which decreases the likelihood of miscarriage.

Qualification to be an embryologist:

1. A candidate who has passed Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in life sciences, zoology, biochemistry, applied microbiology, biotechnology, genetics, or molecular biology.

2 An M.B.B.S., BDS, BVSc, BHMS, or BAMS is qualified to become an embryologist.

Embryology courses offered by GGIRHR — How are they unique?

An embryology course is an opportunity for aspiring embryologists to enhance their knowledge and skills. At GGIRHR, we have the following unique features that help the aspiring embryologist develop the confidence to work immediately after their training:

1. The course provides extensive, hands-on experience to enable them to work as embryologists as soon as the candidates complete their course.

2. They develop extensive and in-depth knowledge of the process of human embryology.

3. We have weekday courses and weekend courses, where they can have their practice as well as attend courses at GGIRHR.

4. Multiple course duration options are available, based on the need of the student — From 6 months diploma course to short 15 days / 30 days courses. There are a few fast-track courses for specific areas in embryology — like cryo preservation and thawing, ICSI, PGD etc.

5. Globally recognized standard is maintained while training people.

6. At GGIRHR, we leverage technology to train doctors. We use medical simulators, the virtual reality-based simulators, where the participant works in a completely immersive situation.

8. Students can learn about their mistakes without making mistakes on a real patient in the simulated environment.

So, if you are someone planning to do an embryology course, GGIRHR offers the best education in the field.

How USG has helped in early diagnosis & treatment in infertility

Ultrasonongraphy (USG) is a useful and first line investigation used to assess the cause of infertility and to institute treatment accordingly. USG is an effective, safe, inexpensive, radiation free, non-invasive and readily available tool.

Role of ultrasound in female infertility

Ultrasound is used to evaluate the pelvic organs (uterus and ovaries), growing ovarian follicles, and cyclic uterine endometrial changes.

Evaluation of uterus :

A) Structural anatomy — Using both 2D and 3D ultrasound congenital mullerian anomalies can be diagnosed and classified according to ESHRE/ESGE classification of uterine anomalies.

B) Pathologies:

1) Fibroid : seen in 5–10% of infertile women. Distortion of the endometrial cavity, abnormal endometrial receptivity, altered hormonal milieu, and endometrial development are the causative factors for infertility in fibroids.

USG provides the number, exact location and size of fibroids, thus helps in thorough planning of surgical intervention if necessary.

2) Adenomyosis : Adenomyosis results in structural and functional defects of the uterine junctional zone and thus resulting in disturbed uterine peristalsis and sperm transport, increased inflammatory response in the endometrium causing impaired implantation. All these factors contribute to sub fertility and increased risk of miscarriage in Adenomyosis.

The ultrasonographic features of Adenomyosis are globular uterus, asymmetrical myohyperplasia, rain shower appearance and myometrial cyst.

Endometrium :

Is a dynamic structure undergoing cyclical changes. The endometrial pattern acts as an indirect measure of hormonal status during the cycle. Pathological features such as thin endometrium, poor endometrial blood flow, presence of polyp or intrauterine adhesions can result in sub fertility. And all these pathologies are accurately assessed using USG (both 2D + 3D).

Ovary :

USG is used for diagnosis and monitoring of treatment cycle in sub fertile women.

1) Follicular monitoring : Is an integral part of investigation in subfertile women. Serial scans during follicular phase evaluates the growth of the follicle, estimates the time of follicular rupture, the ideal time to trigger ovulation and occurrence of ovulation.

2) Antral follicular count: Estimated on day 2 of menstrual cycle, follicles of 2- 8 mm size measured and counted in each ovary. Diminished ovarian reserve diagnosed when AFC < 5. Early diagnosis of diminished ovarian reserve helps planning accurate treatment such as IVF, thus reducing time to pregnancy.

3) Endometriotic cysts :Endometriosis causes profound inflammatory response in the pelvis, affecting oocyte quality, sperm transport and function, luteinized unruptured follicle, defective corpus luteum, altered endometrial receptivity and also presence of adhesions results in sub fertility. Presence of unilocular cyst with ground glass appearance of the contents and peripheral blood flow are the USG features of endometriotic cyst.

4) Functional cysts : Thin walled, unilocular, anechoic cyst with minimal to absent blood flow. Functional cysts are unlikely to cause subfertility.

All these ultrasonographic features helps in early diagnosis and management of female infertility.

Role of ultrasound in male infertility

Ultrasound of scrotum evaluates abnormalities within the testis and the peritesticular structures, such as varicocoeles and epididymal abnormalities. Thus aiding in identifying causative factor for male factor infertility.

Transrectal ultrasound enables high-resolution imaging of the prostate, seminal vesicles and vas deferens and is the modality of choice in diagnosing congenital and acquired abnormalities implicated in the cause of obstructive azoospermia (OA).

Ectopic pregnancy:

A transvaginal ultrasound is the most important diagnostic tool for an ectopic pregnancy. Adnexal complex or simple cyst with ring of fire appearance with colour doppler is the most specific feature. Presence of free fluid in pouch of douglas indicates rupture of ectopic pregnancy. Live extra uterine pregnancy with demonstrable cardiac activity is 100% specific of ectopic pregnancy. Empty uterine cavity with thick endometrium also corroborates with the diagnosis. Rare presence of pseudo-gestational sac and heterotopic pregnancy will pose challenges in diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. Expertise and caution are both required while doing early pregnancy scan for evaluation and diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.

Simple ovarian cyst:

Ovarian cyst especially simple cyst are sometimes incidental findings during a routine ultrasonography. Transvaginal ultrasonography is the gold standard for assessment of ovarian cysts. Round or oval cyst with smooth thin walls suggests a simple ovarian cyst. Follicular cysts, Corpus luteal cysts and theca lutein cysts are some of the simple ovarian cysts commonly noted in women of reproductive age. Follow up requires serial transvaginal ultrasonography. Competent and diligent ultrasonography is all that is required for thorough evaluation of simple ovarian cyst.

Complex ovarian cyst:

Ectopic pregnancy:

A transvaginal ultrasound is the most important diagnostic tool for an ectopic pregnancy. Adnexal complex or simple cyst with ring of fire appearance with colour doppler is the most specific feature. Presence of free fluid in pouch of douglas indicates rupture of ectopic pregnancy. Live extra uterine pregnancy with demonstrable cardiac activity is 100% specific of ectopic pregnancy. Empty uterine cavity with thick endometrium also corroborates with the diagnosis. Rare presence of pseudo-gestational sac and heterotopic pregnancy will pose challenges in diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. Expertise and caution are both required while doing early pregnancy scan for evaluation and diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.

Simple ovarian cyst:

Ovarian cyst especially simple cyst are sometimes incidental findings during a routine ultrasonography. Transvaginal ultrasonography is the gold standard for assessment of ovarian cysts. Round or oval cyst with smooth thin walls suggests a simple ovarian cyst. Follicular cysts, Corpus luteal cysts and theca lutein cysts are some of the simple ovarian cysts commonly noted in women of reproductive age. Follow up requires serial transvaginal ultrasonography. Competent and diligent ultrasonography is all that is required for thorough evaluation of simple ovarian cyst.

Complex ovarian cyst:

A hydrosalpinx is a blocked, dilated, fluid-filled fallopian tube

Hydrosalpinx may occur as an isolated adnexal lesion or as one component of a complex adnexal lesion that has caused distal tubal occlusion . The most common cause of distal tubal occlusion and hydrosalpinx is pelvic inflammatory disease. Other causes include endometriosis, peritubal adhesions from a previous operation, tubal cancer, and tubal pregnancy.

Ultrasound

• thin- or thick-walled (in chronic cases)

• elongated or folded, tubular, C-shaped, or S-shaped fluid-filled structure

• distinct from the uterus and ovary.

.The folds may produce a characteristic “cogwheel” appearance when imaged in cross section. These folds are pathognomonic of a hydrosalpinx. Indentations on the opposite sides of the wall is referred to as the waist sign which is a strong predictor of hydrosalpinx. The waist sign in combination with a tubular-shaped cystic mass has been found to be pathognomonic of a hydrosalpinx .The ‘beads-on-a-string’ sign is described as hyperechoic mural nodules measuring about 2–3 mm and seen on cross-section of the fluid-filled distended structure

Sometimes the dilated fallopian tube may not show longitudinal folds. If the elongated nature of these folds is not noted, they may be mistaken for mural nodules of an ovarian cystic mass. A significantly scarred hydrosalpinx may present as a multilocular cystic mass with multiple septa (often incomplete) creating multiple compartments. These septa are generally incomplete, and the compartments can be connected. However, with more pronounced scarring, differentiation from an ovarian mass may not be possible.

(a) “Waist sign” of a hydrosalpinx, marked by the asterisks, as seen with 2-D ultrasound.

(b) “Beads on a string” sign of a hydrosalpinx demonstrated by 2-D ultrasound

© Sagittal view -nodular appearance of longitudinal folds at junction of collapsed and distended segments

(d)Transverse sonograms show distended funneled distal end of hydrosalpinx

(e) Image showing incomplete septae

(f) No flow seen with color Doppler

(g) Cogwheel sign-swollen walls and swollen mucosal folds

Numerous studies have shown that hydrosalpinges have a detrimental effect on IVF success rates. Two meta-analyses of these studies noted that the pregnancy, implantation, and delivery rates were approximately 50% lower and that the spontaneous abortion rate was higher in the presence of hydrosalpinges . This finding may be due to mechanical flushing of the embryos from the uterine cavity, decreased endometrial receptivity, or a direct embryotoxic effect . Patients with hydrosalpinges visible on ultrasound may be more significantly affected . Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) comparing pregnancy rates and outcomes with IVF for women with hydrosalpinges, with or without prior laparoscopic salpingectomy, reported that salpingectomy restores the rates of pregnancy and live birth to levels similar to those of women without hydrosalpinx

Ectopic pregnancy:

A transvaginal ultrasound is the most important diagnostic tool for an ectopic pregnancy. Adnexal complex or simple cyst with ring of fire appearance with colour doppler is the most specific feature. Presence of free fluid in pouch of douglas indicates rupture of ectopic pregnancy. Live extra uterine pregnancy with demonstrable cardiac activity is 100% specific of ectopic pregnancy. Empty uterine cavity with thick endometrium also corroborates with the diagnosis. Rare presence of pseudo-gestational sac and heterotopic pregnancy will pose challenges in diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy. Expertise and caution are both required while doing early pregnancy scan for evaluation and diagnosis of ectopic pregnancy.

Simple ovarian cyst:

Ovarian cyst especially simple cyst are sometimes incidental findings during a routine ultrasonography. Transvaginal ultrasonography is the gold standard for assessment of ovarian cysts. Round or oval cyst with smooth thin walls suggests a simple ovarian cyst. Follicular cysts, Corpus luteal cysts and theca lutein cysts are some of the simple ovarian cysts commonly noted in women of reproductive age. Follow up requires serial transvaginal ultrasonography. Competent and diligent ultrasonography is all that is required for thorough evaluation of simple ovarian cyst.

Complex ovarian cyst:

Embryology courses – What you need to know?

As infertility in India is on the rise, where every one couple in a six is going through challenges related to infertility, the demand for qualified professionals in embryology is rising.  

Many super-specialty fertility clinics are offering assisted reproductive treatments. The field of assisted reproductive technology is continuously evolving, and this needs one to undergo the right training to become an embryologist.

An embryologist is an expert who does the study of eggs, sperm, and the embryos that they create. They are involved in IVF treatment of the patients right from the stage of diagnosis. The job of an embryologist is to test sperms and eggs to ascertain if there are any defects that they need to address before fertilization. The embryologists are responsible for following during an IVF cycle:

1. Evaluating and making available high-quality sperm.

2. Evaluating and ascertaining the quality of harvested eggs.

3. Fertilizing the eggs with sperm, and at times they may have to use intracytoplasmic sperm injection, in which the sperm is injected into the cytoplasm of the egg.

4. Keeping a check on embryos when they are developing and ensuring their health and quality.

5. Perform assisted hatching when the outer shell of the embryo becomes too thick. Then embryologists use a laser to help ‘cut open’ the outer layer of the embryo, to help it ‘hatch’.

6. Loading of the best quality embryos into the transfer catheter for embryo transfer.

7. Cryo-preserve the extra embryos that were not transferred during the IVF procedure so they may be kept for later use.

Another important role of embryologists is to perform preimplantation genetic diagnosis or PGD. During this test, they remove and analyze a single cell to rule out any genetic diseases in the embryo. This PGD process helps ensure the transfer of healthy embryos, which decreases the likelihood of miscarriage.

Qualification to be an embryologist:

1. A candidate who has passed Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in life sciences, zoology, biochemistry, applied microbiology, biotechnology, genetics, or molecular biology.

2 An M.B.B.S., BDS, BVSc, BHMS, or BAMS is qualified to become an embryologist.

Embryology courses offered by GGIRHR – How are they unique?

An embryology course is an opportunity for aspiring embryologists to enhance their knowledge and skills. At GGIRHR, we have the following unique features that help the aspiring embryologist develop the confidence to work immediately after their training:

1. The course provides extensive, hands-on experience to enable them to work as embryologists as soon as the candidates complete their course.

2. They develop extensive and in-depth knowledge of the process of human embryology.

3. We have weekday courses and weekend courses, where they can have their practice as well as attend courses at GGIRHR.

4. Multiple course duration options are available, based on the need of the student – From 6 months diploma course to short 15 days / 30 days courses. There are a few fast-track courses for specific areas in embryology – like cryo preservation and thawing, ICSI, PGD etc.

5. Globally recognized standard is maintained while training people.

6. At GGIRHR, we leverage technology to train doctors. We use medical simulators, the virtual reality-based simulators, where the participant works in a completely immersive situation.

8. Students can learn about their mistakes without making mistakes on a real patient in the simulated environment.

So, if you are someone planning to do an embryology course, GGIRHR offers the best education in the field.

Embryology courses – What you need to know?

As infertility in India is on the rise, where every one couple in a six is going through challenges related to infertility, the demand for qualified professionals in embryology is rising.  

Many super-specialty fertility clinics are offering assisted reproductive treatments. The field of assisted reproductive technology is continuously evolving, and this needs one to undergo the right training to become an embryologist.

An embryologist is an expert who does the study of eggs, sperm, and the embryos that they create. They are involved in IVF treatment of the patients right from the stage of diagnosis. The job of an embryologist is to test sperms and eggs to ascertain if there are any defects that they need to address before fertilization. The embryologists are responsible for following during an IVF cycle:

1. Evaluating and making available high-quality sperm.

2. Evaluating and ascertaining the quality of harvested eggs.

3. Fertilizing the eggs with sperm, and at times they may have to use intracytoplasmic sperm injection, in which the sperm is injected into the cytoplasm of the egg.

4. Keeping a check on embryos when they are developing and ensuring their health and quality.

5. Perform assisted hatching when the outer shell of the embryo becomes too thick. Then embryologists use a laser to help ‘cut open’ the outer layer of the embryo, to help it ‘hatch’.

6. Loading of the best quality embryos into the transfer catheter for embryo transfer.

7. Cryo-preserve the extra embryos that were not transferred during the IVF procedure so they may be kept for later use.

Another important role of embryologists is to perform preimplantation genetic diagnosis or PGD. During this test, they remove and analyze a single cell to rule out any genetic diseases in the embryo. This PGD process helps ensure the transfer of healthy embryos, which decreases the likelihood of miscarriage.

Qualification to be an embryologist:

1. A candidate who has passed Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in life sciences, zoology, biochemistry, applied microbiology, biotechnology, genetics, or molecular biology.

2 An M.B.B.S., BDS, BVSc, BHMS, or BAMS is qualified to become an embryologist.

Embryology courses offered by GGIRHR – How are they unique?

An embryology course is an opportunity for aspiring embryologists to enhance their knowledge and skills. At GGIRHR, we have the following unique features that help the aspiring embryologist develop the confidence to work immediately after their training:

1. The course provides extensive, hands-on experience to enable them to work as embryologists as soon as the candidates complete their course.

2. They develop extensive and in-depth knowledge of the process of human embryology.

3. We have weekday courses and weekend courses, where they can have their practice as well as attend courses at GGIRHR.

4. Multiple course duration options are available, based on the need of the student – From 6 months diploma course to short 15 days / 30 days courses. There are a few fast-track courses for specific areas in embryology – like cryo preservation and thawing, ICSI, PGD etc.

5. Globally recognized standard is maintained while training people.

6. At GGIRHR, we leverage technology to train doctors. We use medical simulators, the virtual reality-based simulators, where the participant works in a completely immersive situation.

8. Students can learn about their mistakes without making mistakes on a real patient in the simulated environment.

So, if you are someone planning to do an embryology course, GGIRHR offers the best education in the field.

INTRODUCTION Ovarian cancer screening isn’t as simple as getting an ultrasound. The characterization of ovarian masses and distinguishing between benign and malignant pathology is important both to decrease unnecessary anxiety and enable decisions regarding optimal treatment. Benign pathology may be best treated conservatively or in a general gynaecology unit using a minimal access approach. Conversely, suspected malignant masses should be referred to specialized units for further management. Thus prior knowledge of the nature of ovarian masses is essential not only for the patient but in order to organize clinical services in terms of planning, costs and overall management. Transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) is the most commonly employed imaging modality for the assessment of adnexal masses, and a number of prediction models have been created to maximize its predictive capability. In many countries the risk of malignancy index (RMI) which combines ultrasound features, serum CA125 levels and the menopausal status of the patient is still used to characterize ovarian pathology. Unfortunately, both of these are flawed when it comes to screening the general population. Asking for a transvaginal ultrasound or blood test when you’re at an average risk for ovarian cancer isn’t the best idea.

These findings suggest that with adequate training and knowledge of the common features associated with particular pathologies, ultrasound examiners should be able to reliably diagnose and differentiate between certain specific types of adnexal pathology. It is important to remember that when evaluating women with an adnexal mass, ultrasound characteristics need to be correlated with the clinical history, as well as signs and symptoms before arriving at a diagnosis. Ovarian cancer is one of those diseases you probably assume you’re being screened for when you go to your well-woman exams, but that’s not really the case. Ovarian cancer screening, in fac t, isn’t recommended at all for women at average risk for the condition, but that’s not something that most people know.

There are actually no recommended screening tests for ovarian cancer in people who don’t have symptoms and don’t have an increased risk of developing the condition.

Ovarian cancer is a scary disease—it affects about 20,000 women in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unfortunately, only about 20 percent of cases are caught in the early stages. So it makes sense that we would all want to know how to get screened for this condition so that we could discover it and treat it as early as possible. Unfortunately, the science isn’t there yet.

The manual pelvic exams may be helpful, although ovarian cancers would be very difficult to feel with this test. When you do a pelvic exam, you’re inserting a finger into the vagina, pushing down from above, and basically feeling for an obvious mass, thickening, or extreme tenderness. It’s very inaccurate as you are just kind of squeezing together the uterus and ovaries. It’s hard to detect a smaller mass.

While a transvaginal ultrasound can help find a mass on a woman’s ovary, it can’t tell whether that mass is cancerous or benign. When transvaginal ultrasounds are used for screening, most of the masses found are not cancerous. The CA-125 blood test also isn’t perfect. More common conditions like endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease can also cause high levels of CA-125, which could lead to other unnecessary tests. Not only that, not everyone who has ovarian cancer has a high CA-125 level.

As you can see, knowing the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer is incredibly important. The symptoms of ovarian cancer can be subtle, but the most common ones include bloating, pelvic or stomach pain, trouble eating or feeling full quickly, and having urinary symptoms like feeling to urinate often. This is a little tricky because these symptoms can also be caused by other benign diseases. But when they’re caused by ovarian cancer, they’re usually persistent and a change from your normal.

Embryology courses – What you need to know?

As infertility in India is on the rise, where every one couple in a six is going through challenges related to infertility, the demand for qualified professionals in embryology is rising.  

Many super-specialty fertility clinics are offering assisted reproductive treatments. The field of assisted reproductive technology is continuously evolving, and this needs one to undergo the right training to become an embryologist.

An embryologist is an expert who does the study of eggs, sperm, and the embryos that they create. They are involved in IVF treatment of the patients right from the stage of diagnosis. The job of an embryologist is to test sperms and eggs to ascertain if there are any defects that they need to address before fertilization. The embryologists are responsible for following during an IVF cycle:

1. Evaluating and making available high-quality sperm.

2. Evaluating and ascertaining the quality of harvested eggs.

3. Fertilizing the eggs with sperm, and at times they may have to use intracytoplasmic sperm injection, in which the sperm is injected into the cytoplasm of the egg.

4. Keeping a check on embryos when they are developing and ensuring their health and quality.

5. Perform assisted hatching when the outer shell of the embryo becomes too thick. Then embryologists use a laser to help ‘cut open’ the outer layer of the embryo, to help it ‘hatch’.

6. Loading of the best quality embryos into the transfer catheter for embryo transfer.

7. Cryo-preserve the extra embryos that were not transferred during the IVF procedure so they may be kept for later use.

Another important role of embryologists is to perform preimplantation genetic diagnosis or PGD. During this test, they remove and analyze a single cell to rule out any genetic diseases in the embryo. This PGD process helps ensure the transfer of healthy embryos, which decreases the likelihood of miscarriage.

Qualification to be an embryologist:

1. A candidate who has passed Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in life sciences, zoology, biochemistry, applied microbiology, biotechnology, genetics, or molecular biology.

2 An M.B.B.S., BDS, BVSc, BHMS, or BAMS is qualified to become an embryologist.

Embryology courses offered by GGIRHR – How are they unique?

An embryology course is an opportunity for aspiring embryologists to enhance their knowledge and skills. At GGIRHR, we have the following unique features that help the aspiring embryologist develop the confidence to work immediately after their training:

1. The course provides extensive, hands-on experience to enable them to work as embryologists as soon as the candidates complete their course.

2. They develop extensive and in-depth knowledge of the process of human embryology.

3. We have weekday courses and weekend courses, where they can have their practice as well as attend courses at GGIRHR.

4. Multiple course duration options are available, based on the need of the student – From 6 months diploma course to short 15 days / 30 days courses. There are a few fast-track courses for specific areas in embryology – like cryo preservation and thawing, ICSI, PGD etc.

5. Globally recognized standard is maintained while training people.

6. At GGIRHR, we leverage technology to train doctors. We use medical simulators, the virtual reality-based simulators, where the participant works in a completely immersive situation.

8. Students can learn about their mistakes without making mistakes on a real patient in the simulated environment.

So, if you are someone planning to do an embryology course, GGIRHR offers the best education in the field.

TransVaginal Ultrasound skills have become a basic necessity for any gynecologist today. Most practicing gynecologists today prefer to their own scans since the perspective with which they look at the findings is sometimes rather different from the findings reported by a sonologist. Having strong and deep knowledge of ultrasonography will help the gynecologist take certain crucial and important decisions quickly, accurately and efficiently.

TVS skill set is essential for managing all of the following and much more

   Understanding any anatomical or pathological anomalies in the patient    Detect various adnexa    Identify fibroids, polyps, cysts and other such pathologies and plan their treatment    All aspects of infertility treatment – diagnosis, stimulation for IUI / IVF, oocyte retrieval, embryo transfer and early pregnancy management    Identifying ectopic pregnancy, miscarriages etc.

TVS in Infertility

TVS Ultrasound Scanning has become a crucial tool for the assessment and management of females undergoing assisted reproduction treatment.  U/S Scan permits the screening of women before infertility treatment. The prediction of ovarian reserve, whether the fallopian tube is open or blocked and endometrial receptivity, derived through ultrasound. It allows for direct monitoring of response to controlled ovarian stimulation for performing IUI procedure, for IVF stimulation protocols that facilitates oocyte retrieval and embryo transfer. Doctors can enhance their skill and knowledge of reproductive health, by getting expertise knowledge & technique in an ultrasound scan.

GarbhaGudi Institute of Reproductive Health and Research (GGIRHR) trains doctors in gaining knowledge and practice on Transvaginal scan simulator that provides a comprehensive and high-quality scanning experience almost close to real patients. The course comes with a cloud-based library comprising basic to most complicated cases pertaining to Infertility, Gynaecology and  Obstetrics. U/S Scan simulator will help gynaecologists gain confidence during this hard-to-learn skill and acquire the competence required for his / her practice.

Online IUI  workshop - from GGIRHR! Hurry up, Limited Seats Available!

With the passing of time and lifestyle issues, infertility has become a sensitive matter. Infertility may be a serious health issue worldwide, affecting approximately 8%–10% of couples worldwide. Of 60–80 million couples suffering from infertility every year worldwide, probably between 15 and 20 million (25%) are in India alone. A report by the World Health Organization (WHO), one in every four couples is affected by infertility. The magnitude of the problem calls for urgent action, the need for fertility specialist doctors arises. GarbhaGudi IVF Centre has consistently achieved 28%  & above success rates in IUI treatment and wants this knowledge should be shared amongst all  the practicing clinicians. GGIRHR is offering Online IUI Workshop.

At the end of the course, you'll be ready to

   Achieve High success rates    can perform IUI in their clinic/hospital independently.    Effective follicular monitoring for the best time for insemination.    Deep understanding of various intricacies of ovarian stimulation for IUI    Learn parameters of Semen Analysis & best forms of semen processing    Can handle PCOS/ Endometriosis patients with a better understanding    Importance of luteal phase support in IUI.    Medico-legal aspects.    Assess factors related to male infertility

INTRODUCTION Ovarian cancer screening isn’t as simple as getting an ultrasound. The characterization of ovarian masses and distinguishing between benign and malignant pathology is important both to decrease unnecessary anxiety and enable decisions regarding optimal treatment. Benign pathology may be best treated conservatively or in a general gynaecology unit using a minimal access approach. Conversely, suspected malignant masses should be referred to specialized units for further management. Thus prior knowledge of the nature of ovarian masses is essential not only for the patient but in order to organize clinical services in terms of planning, costs and overall management. Transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) is the most commonly employed imaging modality for the assessment of adnexal masses, and a number of prediction models have been created to maximize its predictive capability. In many countries the risk of malignancy index (RMI) which combines ultrasound features, serum CA125 levels and the menopausal status of the patient is still used to characterize ovarian pathology. Unfortunately, both of these are flawed when it comes to screening the general population. Asking for a transvaginal ultrasound or blood test when you’re at an average risk for ovarian cancer isn’t the best idea.

These findings suggest that with adequate training and knowledge of the common features associated with particular pathologies, ultrasound examiners should be able to reliably diagnose and differentiate between certain specific types of adnexal pathology. It is important to remember that when evaluating women with an adnexal mass, ultrasound characteristics need to be correlated with the clinical history, as well as signs and symptoms before arriving at a diagnosis. Ovarian cancer is one of those diseases you probably assume you’re being screened for when you go to your well-woman exams, but that’s not really the case. Ovarian cancer screening, in fac t, isn’t recommended at all for women at average risk for the condition, but that’s not something that most people know.

There are actually no recommended screening tests for ovarian cancer in people who don’t have symptoms and don’t have an increased risk of developing the condition.

Ovarian cancer is a scary disease—it affects about 20,000 women in the U.S. each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Unfortunately, only about 20 percent of cases are caught in the early stages. So it makes sense that we would all want to know how to get screened for this condition so that we could discover it and treat it as early as possible. Unfortunately, the science isn’t there yet.

The manual pelvic exams may be helpful, although ovarian cancers would be very difficult to feel with this test. When you do a pelvic exam, you’re inserting a finger into the vagina, pushing down from above, and basically feeling for an obvious mass, thickening, or extreme tenderness. It’s very inaccurate as you are just kind of squeezing together the uterus and ovaries. It’s hard to detect a smaller mass.

While a transvaginal ultrasound can help find a mass on a woman’s ovary, it can’t tell whether that mass is cancerous or benign. When transvaginal ultrasounds are used for screening, most of the masses found are not cancerous. The CA-125 blood test also isn’t perfect. More common conditions like endometriosis and pelvic inflammatory disease can also cause high levels of CA-125, which could lead to other unnecessary tests. Not only that, not everyone who has ovarian cancer has a high CA-125 level.

As you can see, knowing the signs and symptoms of ovarian cancer is incredibly important. The symptoms of ovarian cancer can be subtle, but the most common ones include bloating, pelvic or stomach pain, trouble eating or feeling full quickly, and having urinary symptoms like feeling to urinate often. This is a little tricky because these symptoms can also be caused by other benign diseases. But when they’re caused by ovarian cancer, they’re usually persistent and a change from your normal.

Embryology courses – What you need to know?

As infertility in India is on the rise, where every one couple in a six is going through challenges related to infertility, the demand for qualified professionals in embryology is rising.  

Many super-specialty fertility clinics are offering assisted reproductive treatments. The field of assisted reproductive technology is continuously evolving, and this needs one to undergo the right training to become an embryologist.

An embryologist is an expert who does the study of eggs, sperm, and the embryos that they create. They are involved in IVF treatment of the patients right from the stage of diagnosis. The job of an embryologist is to test sperms and eggs to ascertain if there are any defects that they need to address before fertilization. The embryologists are responsible for following during an IVF cycle:

1. Evaluating and making available high-quality sperm.

2. Evaluating and ascertaining the quality of harvested eggs.

3. Fertilizing the eggs with sperm, and at times they may have to use intracytoplasmic sperm injection, in which the sperm is injected into the cytoplasm of the egg.

4. Keeping a check on embryos when they are developing and ensuring their health and quality.

5. Perform assisted hatching when the outer shell of the embryo becomes too thick. Then embryologists use a laser to help ‘cut open’ the outer layer of the embryo, to help it ‘hatch’.

6. Loading of the best quality embryos into the transfer catheter for embryo transfer.

7. Cryo-preserve the extra embryos that were not transferred during the IVF procedure so they may be kept for later use.

Another important role of embryologists is to perform preimplantation genetic diagnosis or PGD. During this test, they remove and analyze a single cell to rule out any genetic diseases in the embryo. This PGD process helps ensure the transfer of healthy embryos, which decreases the likelihood of miscarriage.

Qualification to be an embryologist:

1. A candidate who has passed Bachelor’s degree or Master’s degree in life sciences, zoology, biochemistry, applied microbiology, biotechnology, genetics, or molecular biology.

2 An M.B.B.S., BDS, BVSc, BHMS, or BAMS is qualified to become an embryologist.

Embryology courses offered by GGIRHR – How are they unique?

An embryology course is an opportunity for aspiring embryologists to enhance their knowledge and skills. At GGIRHR, we have the following unique features that help the aspiring embryologist develop the confidence to work immediately after their training:

1. The course provides extensive, hands-on experience to enable them to work as embryologists as soon as the candidates complete their course.

2. They develop extensive and in-depth knowledge of the process of human embryology.

3. We have weekday courses and weekend courses, where they can have their practice as well as attend courses at GGIRHR.

4. Multiple course duration options are available, based on the need of the student – From 6 months diploma course to short 15 days / 30 days courses. There are a few fast-track courses for specific areas in embryology – like cryo preservation and thawing, ICSI, PGD etc.

5. Globally recognized standard is maintained while training people.

6. At GGIRHR, we leverage technology to train doctors. We use medical simulators, the virtual reality-based simulators, where the participant works in a completely immersive situation.

8. Students can learn about their mistakes without making mistakes on a real patient in the simulated environment.

So, if you are someone planning to do an embryology course, GGIRHR offers the best education in the field.

INTRODUCTION Routine ultrasound examination is an established part of antenatal care if resources are available and access possible. In general, the main goal of a fetal ultrasound scan is to provide accurate information which will facilitate the delivery of optimized antenatal care with the best possible outcomes for mother and fetus. The presence of a new life healthily growing inside you is monitored via an early pregnancy scan also called the viability or dating scan. Purpose of early pregnancy ultrasound scan? Early pregnancy scans  are done to confirm a pregnancy and is performed between 6-11 weeks of gestation. Individuals who perform obstetric scans routinely should have specialized training that is appropriate to the practice of diagnostic ultrasound for pregnant women. Before starting the examination, a healthcare provider should counsel the woman/couple regarding the potential benefits and limitations of the first‐trimester ultrasound scan.

Details of the Dating Scan: •        to check the baby is growing in the right place, by ruling out ectopic pregnancy. •        to confirm the presence of your baby’s heartbeat. •        an accurate way of predicting your due date and confirming the gestation. •        to check whether you are expecting more than one baby. •        in case of multiple pregnancies, to assess chorionicity and amnionicity. •        to check your baby’s growth and development. •        to check the pelvic  organs. •        to check presence of any internal bleeding Also gynecological pathologies may be detected during any first‐trimester scan. Abnormalities of uterine shape, such as uterine septa and bicornuate uteri, should be described. The adnexa should be surveyed for abnormalities and masses.

Is prenatal ultrasonography safe during the first trimester? Fetal exposure times should be minimized, using the shortest scan times and lowest possible power output needed to obtain diagnostic information using the ALARA (As Low As Reasonably Achievable) principle.

How are Early Pregnancy Scans done?

An early pregnancy scan can be done either transabdominally or transvaginally. Transabdominal early pregnancy scans are performed at 7-11 weeks of pregnancy and are done over the tummy. Commonly these are known as ultrasound scans and is carried out by one of the highly qualified professionals (sonographer) in the hospital.

During the process, the sonographer will ask you to drink a glass of water for a good view of your baby (as bladder helps the ultrasound echoes to reach your womb) and lie on the bed. Then some gel will be applied on your tummy and move a hand-held device (transducer) over the abdominal skin to pick up images of the baby. If the images are not clear, then the sonographer will ask you to go for a transvaginal scan.

During the transvaginal scan, the sonographer places a vaginal transducer comfortably inside your vagina (after lubricating this with plenty of gel). Once the transducer is inside, sound waves bounce off the internal organs and transmit pictures of your pelvis (inside of it) onto a monitor.