Research project

1. Fall 2015 Internship
Ali Smith

2. GHS, Reproductive Endocrinology
Infertility

3. Fertility Center of the Carolinas
Fertility Center of the Carolinas is a practice for women who are
experiencing fertility problems or problems having successful
pregnancies. The physicians and other members of the
Reproductive Endocrinology Infertility (REI) team work together
not only to identify the cause of infertility but also to find a
solution. The practice offers:
• Nationally recognized fertility specialists
• In-vitro fertilization (IVF) and artificial insemination
• Full range of medical, surgical and fertility services
• Clean room laboratory for handling gametes and embryos
• Dedicated and specially equipped IVF procedure room at
Greenville Memorial Hospital
• Mind/Body Program

4. Mission Statement:
“We believe each patient is unique, with a unique
treatment opportunity that doesn't always include IVF.
We take time to listen, diagnose, formulate and
implement a plan to give each person the ultimate gift
– a baby. We look forward to helping you start, or
grow, your family. ”

5. Research Intern
• August 2015- December 2015
• I have served as a research intern at Fertility
Center of the Carolinas working with Dr.
Lessey (Reproductive Endocrinologist) and
Ryan Miller (embryologist).

6. ART Lab
I observed and assisted Ryan
Miller in the Assisted
Reproductive Technology (ART)
Lab. I learned a lot about
micromanipulation of sperm and
egg under the microscope to
create embryos,
cryoproservation of
sperm/eggs/embryos, and
procedures to retrieve eggs or
transfer embryos.

7. Micromanipulation
Micromanipulation
techniques are used
under the microscope
to inject a single sperm
into an egg to create
embryos
This is a
picture taken while
Ryan was training
me how to inject a
hamster sperm
into a hamster egg.
I was able to
successfully inject
the sperm into the
egg.

8. ART Lab
Using the microscope to
practice micromanipulation
techniques. This is where eggs
are cleaned after they are
retrieved from the ovaries and
where embryos are kept prior
to transfer to the uterus.

9. Andrology
This is the Andrology lab where
sperm are processed and
analyzed after collection.
Motility, concentration, and
morphology are determined
from each collection before they
can be taken to the ART lab to be
cryogenically preserved, used in
(In Vitro Fertilization) IVF, or
used in IUI (Intrauterine
Insemination).

10. Research
The majority of my internship was spent doing research and analyzing data.

11. Research
I had to first learn how the ART
charts were filed, how to read the
charts, and how to read all of the
forms. A big part of my preliminary
research was pulling information
from patient’s charts and sorting the
data.

12. Research
Pulling information
from patients’ charts to put
into Excel and Google
Spreadsheets.

13. Dr. Lessey (my preceptor) and Me

14. Endometrial Scratching Project
After collecting information from patients’
charts and entering them into excel, I compared
several variables to determine if there was a
statistically significant difference among
pregnancy results. The objective of this project
was to compare IVF and FET success rates in
women who had endometrial scratching and
women who had not had endometrial
scratching.

15. Endometrial Scratching is
when a physician
intentionally damages the
lining of the uterus.
It has been proposed that
endometrial scratching
improves pregnancy rates
by creating a better
environment for the
embryo to implant.

16. My research project compared pregnancy rates in fresh and frozen cycles
between women who had and did not have endometrial scratching
performed in the month prior to their IVF procedure.
0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%
Scratched
Not Scratched
Pregnant
Not Pregnant
Pregnancy Rates

17. Conclusion
My data showed that endometrial scratching
does not have a statistically significant effect on
successful pregnancy rates in women who had
and had not been scratched.

18. Presentation

19. Presentation
Before we gave our presentations
to the REI team.

20. Presentation
I presented my research project to the
physicians, embryologists, and the
andrologists.

21. Presentation
Presenting my research project