The Digital IVF Lab

Welcome to this episode of Beyond the Webinar from the International IVF Initiative I3 podcast. Here you are going to hear two conversations that took place after session 95 and 95 - which had a tech focus, looking at how the advances in the digital world are impacting ART. The first conversation was moderated by Dr. Charles Bormann, Dr. Irene Dimitriadis, and Olcay Ocali with panelists Lizeth Barrientos and Giles Palmer, who also participated in a round table discussion with Dr. Gerardo Mendizaba Ruiz and Alejandro Chavez Badiola. This session was sponsored by IVF 2.0.

The second was discussing how there are now available a wealth of apps from ovulation trackers, period trackers, and fertility apps...Reproductive BioMedicine Online explored the latest tech that patients are using with Professor. Alice Doma, Alison Meyers, Dr. Ka Ying Bonnie Ng, Dr. Eri Maeda, Prof. Joyce Harper, and it was moderated by Prof. Nick Macklon and Prof. Jacky Boivin have a listen to how the participants felt the sessions went, and make sure you check out the show notes to find out details of how you can watch both sessions 95 and 96 in full as we’ve included all the links you need:

What was discussed:

• Is it too soon?
• Using it as an assistant to help introduce the concept to the scientific world and patients.
• When is the right time to trust computers?
• We’ve already done it, it’s just a lot of people don’t think about it.. Eg. a plane often isn’t piloted
• Saying to a patient ‘A computer is selecting your embryo’ is scary
• Lots of different options on how people feel about trusting a computer
• AI is a constant - it needs to be tested and tested again, however as a constant factor between embryologists and doctors it is a great asset.
• The challenge of building synthetic cycles
• Consistency when embryologists go on holiday - AI could offer a solution
• When decisions have to be made by humans. Computers don’t have context.
• AI is the assistant, not the decision maker

View the whole session here

Before we join the afterparty of our second Beyond the Webinar session, do make sure you check out the show notes of this episode so you can find details of how to watch the full session that is being discussed. We’ll join the speakers now:

Session 2:

• Expectations from apps - mean people’s expectations in clinics have changed
• Early career researchers reflecting back
• Difference of opinion between loss and gain between generations
• Chief Compassion Officer - going to be responsible for the care patients get in terms of stress and also all the stress levels of employees ( 79 clinics )
• Burnout of employees needs to be addressed first, people are quitting and making mistakes
• Impact of corporatization on IVF - means apps are crucial
• Recommendations need to be helpful - training physicians to behave empathetically to improve patient care
• Paper - on how if staff is having problems in clinics how can they provide the care they want. LINK
• A squeeze of time means apps are so helpful and useful as they give you more time.
• Discussion of conferences online and in-person - will in person survive the test of time.
• Careers and friendships are made in person

View the whole session