Written by: Bec Holmes, PhD, HCLD, CCRM Fertility’s East Coast Corporate Laboratory Director

How Gidget’s Electronic-Witnessing Software for IVF Labs Keeps Your Baby Secure

Investing in state-of-the-art technology is key to delivering industry-leading outcomes and providing the highest quality care possible for our patients. One of CCRM’s recent additions to the in vitro fertilization (IVF) lab is Gidget™, a tracking system that provides the latest technology available to enhance the safety and security of the IVF process.

This new tracking system, also known as an electronic witnessing system, adds an extra layer of security to each step of the IVF process by assisting with the identification of patients and traceability of their reproductive cells. Essentially, the tracking system ensures that the eggs, embryos and sperm belonging to you are used in your treatment. Every culture dish and specimen tube that is used at any point in the IVF process is labeled with a unique bar code that links each item to the intended patient’s chart. Each time a patient’s eggs, embryos or sperm are handled in the lab, the embryologist will scan the barcode as additional confirmation that the dishes are correctly labeled and belong to the intended patient.

Gidget records each time the eggs, embryos or sperm are moved from one dish or location to the next and which embryologist handled the specimen. This could be as many as five or six times for each patient per IVF cycle. It provides a schedule as well to ensure that procedures are done on time and that no steps are missed. All tracking information is stored in one secure location and easily accessible to the embryologists.

Prior to using Gidget, all tracking or witnessing was done manually using a second embryologist as an eye witness. Although human error in IVF is rare, electronic witnessing helps to further decrease human error and reduce patient concerns by eliminating the need for extensive paperwork and manual identification. The result is an increase in the efficiency and safety of the entire IVF process.

CCRM is proud to be the first IVF lab network in the U.S. to implement electronic witnessing. This new technology ensures that all of our lab work is carried out to maximum efficiency with no risk of error giving our patients peace of mind while in our care.

To schedule an appointment with one of our reproductive endocrinologists, contact us today.