Articles

This comprehensive guidance document for lab management and operations was created by Sangita K. Jindal Ph.D. as part of her work on the ASRM practice committee and published in August 2022. It is an update to a previous document from 2008 and is used nationally by all IVF labs as best practice guidance for lab operations, quality control, lab staffing and qualifications, and staffing volumes to ensure patient safety and optimal patient care.

In this publication by senior author Sangita K. Jindal Ph.D. and using data provided by SART, the adherence to guidelines for single embryo transfer in favorable-prognosis patients was examined using a national database of all IVF clinics in the US. It was determined that nonadherence with transfer guidelines was associated with dramatically increased multiple pregnancies, preterm births, and low birth weights.

Using a national database of all IVF clinics in the US, with data provided by SART, Sangita K. Jindal Ph.D., and her coauthors evaluated whether Hurricane Katrina was associated with worse pregnancy outcomes in the Gulf States in 2005-8. While no associations were found between hurricane exposure and preterm deliveries or miscarriage rates, a trend of fewer males born post-hurricane was found. It was postulated that extreme stress may be a factor that contributes to a reduced male-to-female ratio at birth.

The fertility program in New York was at the front lines of the COVID epidemic in early 2020.   Sangita K. Jindal Ph.D., a leading national authority in women’s healthcare and in vitro fertilization, was the lead author of this study which focused on screening IVF patients at a time when no vaccinations were available. The data suggested that universal screening among fertility patients is feasible and the safety of both mother and baby can be ensured using this testing strategy.

Using a national database of all IVF clinics in the US with data provided by SART, lead author Sangita K. Jindal Ph.D. and her coauthors investigated whether live birth rates were different in relation to the infertility diagnosis of the patient. Only chromosomally normal embryos were transferred to the patients. It was concluded that a normal embryo results in similar live birth rates in women with different infertility diagnoses.