There's a part of the fertility process most people never really get to see. After all the appointments, medications, and procedures, things move into the lab, and from the outside, it can feel distant and hard to follow.

In this episode, host Eloise Drane sits down with clinical embryologist Alease Daniel Barnes to pull back the curtain on what actually happens in the IVF lab. Alease breaks down the technical processes patients are often expected to navigate with limited explanation: embryo grading, ICSI, PGT testing, and cryopreservation.

The conversation covers what those numbers and letters on embryo reports really mean, when genetic testing is actually necessary versus overused, and why ICSI has become routine in the U.S. despite similar success rates with conventional insemination. They also discuss the logistics that don't always get addressed, how embryos are stored, shipped, and preserved long-term.

If you're navigating your own fertility journey this episode gives you the knowledge to ask better questions and make more informed decisions about your care.

"IVF doesn't guarantee you a baby, neither does freezing eggs." - Alease Daniel Barnes

You'll Hear About:

Connect with Alease: 

Instagram:  @alease_the_embryologist

TikTok: @aleasetheembryologist

Website: https://aleasetheembryologist.com/

Resources mentioned:

Related episodes:

Ep 97 - Fertility in the Modern Age: IVF, Environmental Impacts, and Quality Care

https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-97-fertility-in-the-modern-age-ivf-environmental-impacts-and-quality-care/

Ep 102 - Beyond the Clinic: Why the Fertility Lab is Key to Your Success

https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/ep-102-beyond-the-clinic-why-the-fertility-lab-is-key-to-your-success/

Ep 121 – Inside Modern Fertility Care — IVF, Surrogacy, Egg Donation & Family Building

https://thefertilitycafe.com/podcast/beyond-ivf-surrogacy-egg-donation-the-future-of-fertility-care/

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More Resources

Learn more about surrogacy & fertility: https://familyinceptions.com/

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