The Wilde Way: Fertility Unfiltered 14: Inside IVF with Emma the Embryologist: Myths, Mistakes & Mind-Blowing Science
Oct 14, 2025
Emma Whitney, Director of Embryology and Genetics at The Evewell, has over 20 years of experience in fertility and is a passionate advocate for lab culture and mental health. In this insightful conversation, she demystifies the IVF process, detailing what happens from egg collection to embryo transfer. Emma tackles common myths about embryo development and shares eye-opening lab experiences. She emphasizes the importance of preconception health for both partners and encourages self-kindness for those navigating fertility struggles.
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Workload Drives Lab Errors Not Individuals
- Embryology labs face systemic pressure that increases human error risk rather than just individual incompetence.
- Emma Whitney says reducing workload per embryologist (e.g., fewer ICSI procedures daily) lowers mistakes and improves safety.
How Emma Found Embryology
- Emma Whitney traced her embryology career to family influences and early work experience at 16 in a 1990s UK fertility clinic.
- She accepted an NHS job after her master's and has stayed in London for 24 years in fertility work.
What Happens From Retrieval To Transfer
- Expect egg collection to be quick and usually sedated; eggs are large and surrounded by cumulus cells you can see with the naked eye.
- Between retrieval and day five embryos, patients can't change outcomes; embryologists provide stable incubator conditions and monitoring.