Skip to main content

Product preview · Fictional patient data

OvaFlow
Try the sandboxRequest a walkthrough

For embryology & lab

The right embryo, and a named reviewer for every case.

Lab work depends on exact identity: the right specimen, the right report, the right embryo. OvaFlow keeps the follow-up visible and hands every check to your lab's electronic witnessing and lab systems.

Request a walkthroughWatch the walkthroughs
Warming authorizationEmbryo 1 onlyRecorded authorization, one named embryo
  • Embryo 1
    1. Authorized
    2. Warmed
    3. Did not survive warming
  • Embryo 2
    1. In storage
    2. Not authorized · new decision needed
  • Embryo 3
    1. In storage

Exact-embryo authorization. If a warmed embryo doesn't survive, another one is not warmed without a new authorization.

Fictional patient dataIllustration. Embryo labels are fictional.

Who this is for

Embryologists, lab directors, andrology, genetics (PGT) coordinators and cryobank managers.

One embryo, four checks

Follow one embryo through the lab.

Culture, biopsy, genetic testing and warming. At each step OvaFlow keeps the follow-up and its owner in view, and hands the check itself to your lab's own systems.

Illustration · Fictional embryo labels
  1. Today

    Media lot recalls traced through paper binders.

    With OvaFlow

    Lot-recall investigations with a named reviewer for every case and lab-director closure.

  2. Today

    Specimen and biopsy label mismatches.

    With OvaFlow

    Label and barcode stops that hand off to your lab's electronic witnessing system.

  3. Today

    A missing family sample or a change of genetics lab leaves PGT-M unready.

    With OvaFlow

    A PGT-M critical path with lab acceptance and family samples tracked.

  4. Today

    A second embryo warmed automatically after one doesn't survive warming.

    With OvaFlow

    Exact-embryo warming authorization, and a new decision if an embryo doesn't survive warming.

Everything else mapped for this role8 more

Also gets in the way

  • Amended PGT reports missed before transfer planning.
  • Duplicate andrology barcodes.
  • Shipping clearance confused with clinical-use release.
  • Cryo signals tracked on spreadsheets.
  • Emergency tank relocation without confirmed capacity.

Also designed in

  • Embryo lineage kept distinct across biopsies.
  • Shipping and clinical-use clearance tracked separately, with arrival checked item by item.
  • Cryo signal follow-up with an owner, and relocation capacity accepted by the receiving lab.

A shift with OvaFlow

How the day actually goes.

Drawn from the prototype walkthroughs. Times are from the fictional demonstration day.

Fictional patient data

  1. A family reference sample is still missing. The PGT-M case shows it as the item holding everything else.

  2. A manufacturer notice arrives for a culture-media lot. Three dish-use records need checking; each gets a named reviewer.

  3. Warming is authorized for one exact embryo. It doesn't survive warming, so the next step is a new decision, not another warming.

  4. A duplicate andrology barcode goes to the lab's own two-person witness check.

  5. Watch it happen

Lab & cryo day · PGT-M readiness, dish lineage, exact-embryo warming & cryo custody

Embryology, andrology, PGT coordination, and cryobank teams track every dish, biopsy tube, culture-media lot, warming order, and storage cane across strict chain-of-custody boundaries. ASRM laboratory operations, PGT-M, and cryostorage guidelines—alongside historical FDA Class 2 recalls of IVF culture and sperm-wash media—show why specimen lineage, exact-embryo warming authorization, and lab-director review cannot live in disconnected paper binders [1, 2, 3, 4, 5].

  1. 01Pre-cycle · D−21
    PGT-M custom test setup & family reference samples
    What comes in

    Genetics lab acceptance and family cheek-swab / blood reference samples

    Where it can slip today

    Stimulation starts before a missing family reference sample arrives, or a lab switch assumes amplified biopsy DNA can transfer.

    How OvaFlow keeps it in view

    PGT-M critical-path board shows missing family sample holding cycle start and blocks cross-lab DNA assumptions

    Hold visible · Family sample required
  2. 0207:30
    Andrology & biopsy accession check
    What comes in

    Semen sample barcode and trophectoderm biopsy tube labels (Biopsy A vs. Re-biopsy B)

    Where it can slip today

    A duplicate andrology barcode or a second biopsy overwriting the first biopsy record causes an accession hold.

    How OvaFlow keeps it in view

    Flags label/barcode discrepancy and hands off directly to the lab's own electronic or two-person witnessing process

    Stopped · Handed to lab witness check
  3. 0310:15
    Exact-embryo warming authorization
    What comes in

    Clinician-signed FET warming authorization for Embryo #2 only

    Where it can slip today

    If Embryo #2 does not survive warming, an ambiguous standing note leads to warming Embryo #3 without a fresh decision.

    How OvaFlow keeps it in view

    Authorizes Embryo #2 only; if it does not survive warming, Embryo #1 and #3 lock until a new signed decision

    Single-embryo lock · New decision required
  4. 0413:40
    Manufacturer culture-media lot recall trace
    What comes in

    Urgent lot notice for culture or sperm-wash media batch used across 3 dishes

    Where it can slip today

    Tracing which embryos touched a recalled lot requires flipping through paper dish logs across multiple incubators.

    How OvaFlow keeps it in view

    Lists every affected dish-use record, assigns a named reviewer per case, and requires Lab Director closure

    3 cases assigned · Lab Director gate
  5. 0516:30
    Cryo shipment arrival & tank capacity continuity
    What comes in

    Incoming dry-shipper courier or tank telemetry alert

    Where it can slip today

    Quarantined shipping clearance is mistaken for clinical-use release, or emergency relocation moves canes without confirmed capacity.

    How OvaFlow keeps it in view

    Tracks shipping release separately from clinical-use clearance and requires receiving-lab capacity acceptance

    Verified item-by-item · Capacity accepted
Five laboratory and cryobank checkpoints across the day, keeping witnessing and physical bench work in the lab's own systems while closing coordination gaps.Fictional clinic day · Fictional patient data

Worked laboratory case · Jordan Patel & Alex Chen (Embryology & Cryo)

Lineage from PGT-M probe prep to culture-media lot trace and single-embryo warming.

Follow Senior Embryologist Jordan Patel and Lab Coordinator Alex Chen through four high-consequence laboratory coordination moments: a PGT-M family sample hold, biopsy A/B lineage, a culture-media lot recall investigation, and an exact-embryo warming stop.

Fictional patient data

Why this moment matters in an IVF clinic

ASRM guidance notes that PGT-M test development can take weeks to months and amplified biopsy DNA cannot simply be moved to a new genetics lab [2]. Meanwhile, FDA Class 2 recalls of ART media lots in 2023–2024 proved that labs need rapid, auditable lot-to-dish tracing with named clinical and laboratory sign-off [4, 5].

  1. Step 01Alex Chen & Jordan Patel · Genetics & Embryology

    Pre-cycle · PGT-M critical path and distinct Biopsy A / Biopsy B lineage

    On the PGT-M critical path, a missing family reference sample is shown as the exact blocker holding stimulation readiness. Once embryos reach the blastocyst stage, trophectoderm Biopsy A and any subsequent Re-biopsy B are preserved as distinct child records—never overwriting earlier genetics results or hiding an amended PGT report before transfer planning.[1][2]

  2. Step 02Jordan Patel · Andrology & Embryology Bench

    07:30 · Duplicate barcode stop handed to the lab's own witnessing process

    When an andrology container barcode or biopsy tube label shows a collision, OvaFlow raises a hard stop and routes the check to the laboratory's own electronic or dual-witnessing system. OvaFlow never acts as or replaces the witness system.[1]

  3. Step 03Jordan Patel & REI Physician

    10:15 · Exact-embryo warming: one embryo authorized, no automatic backup warming

    Warming is authorized specifically for Embryo #2. When Embryo #2 does not survive warming, OvaFlow blocks any automatic progression to Embryo #1 or Embryo #3 and opens a new clinician-and-patient decision workflow.[1]

  4. Step 04Jordan Patel & Lab Director

    13:40 & 16:30 · Lot-recall case assignment and separate shipping vs. clinical release

    When a manufacturer lot notice arrives for a culture medium, OvaFlow surfaces the three exposed dish records, assigns a named reviewer to each, and holds closure for the Lab Director. In the cryobank, quarantined transport clearance stays distinct from clinical-use release, and emergency tank relocation requires explicit capacity acceptance by the receiving lab.[3][4][5]

How the safeguard works

How dish records, genetic testing, and single-embryo warming stay linked

Fictional patient record
01 · Jordan Patel · Embryology & genetics records

Genetic test readiness & dish traceability

PGT-M setup
Genetics lab acceptance and family sampleShows when a missing family sample is holding cycle start
Biopsy records
Embryo 1 · Biopsy A and Re-biopsy B kept separateAmended genetic reports require physician review before transfer
Media lot trace
3 dish-use records assigned to named reviewersInvestigation stays open until the lab director closes it
02 · Bench witnessing & warming rules

Bench witnessing stays in the lab, and warming covers one embryo at a time

Any label or barcode mismatch stops and hands off to the lab's own witnessing system. If the authorized embryo does not survive warming, remaining embryos stay locked until a new decision is recorded.

03 · One authorized embryo · Separate shipping and clinical checks

Single-embryo warming & storage release

Authorized embryo
Embryo 2 authorized → did not survive warmingOpens a new decision with the physician and patient; no automatic backup warming
Other stored embryos
Embryos 1 and 3 stay frozen and lockedWarming another embryo requires its own new authorization
Tank shipments
Shipping release kept separate from clinical useArrival checked item by item, with tank space confirmed by the receiving lab

Lab, cryostorage, and long-term continuity come in a later phase. OvaFlow never ranks embryos, replaces bench witnessing, or serves as the primary tank inventory.

How OvaFlow tracks pre-cycle genetic test setup, biopsy records, media lot follow-up, and warming authorization for one specific embryo.

What stays where it belongs

Electronic witnessing, lab determinations and physical work stay with qualified lab staff and the lab's own systems. OvaFlow is not the witness or inventory system.

Lab, cryo and long-term continuity come in a later phase, even though prototype walkthroughs exist.

How clinical authority works
What OvaFlow shows this role
  • PGT-M critical path & multi-biopsy lineageTracks genetics lab acceptance, family reference samples, Biopsy A vs. Re-biopsy B records, and amended PGT report alerts.
  • Exact-embryo warming authorization & lockTies warming to one specific embryo ID and requires a new signed decision if that embryo does not survive warming.
  • Auditable lot-recall investigationsConnects affected media or consumable lots to specific dish-use cases with a named reviewer per case and Lab Director closure.
  • Distinct shipping vs. clinical-use cryo gatesSeparates transport readiness from clinical-use eligibility and requires receiving-lab capacity acceptance before emergency relocation.
What OvaFlow never does (stays with you & your EMR)
  • Never performs or replaces lab witnessingDual-person or electronic witnessing of gametes, dishes, and straws always happens in the lab's own witnessing system.
  • Never ranks, scores, or selects embryosMorphologic grading, PGT interpretation, and embryo selection for transfer remain strictly with embryologists and clinicians.
  • Never auto-authorizes warming a backup embryoA non-surviving embryo during warming never triggers automatic warming of another stored embryo.
  • Never replaces the primary cryo inventory systemTank coordinates, physical dewar logs, and laboratory determinations remain in the lab's own systems of record.

Standards, regulations & norms shaping embryology & lab

ASRM Lab Operations & PGT-M

Specimen witnessing, warming protocols, and custom PGT-M lead times

ASRM's 2022 laboratory management guidance mandates rigorous specimen identity verification, witnessing, and warming documentation, while ASRM's 2023 PGT-M opinion highlights that custom monogenic test setup requires family reference samples and that amplified biopsy DNA is not portable if a patient switches genetics labs.[1][2]

FDA Class 2 Media Recalls (2023–2024)

Why lot-to-dish traceability cannot rely on paper binders

FDA Class 2 device recall notices for CooperSurgical / Origio sperm wash medium (Feb 2024) and global culture medium (Dec 2023) underscored how rapidly an embryology lab must identify every dish, patient cycle, and stored embryo exposed to an affected lot number.[4][5]

ASRM Cryostorage & AI Governance

Emergency tank capacity, unclaimed tissue rules, and AI oversight

ASRM cryostorage guidance calls for verified backup capacity and cautions against unnecessary physical handling during inventory audits, while ASRM's committee opinion on AI in the IVF lab emphasizes clinician and lab-director oversight rather than autonomous embryo selection.[3][6]

Key terms in the glossary

Prototype walkthroughs

See it in the prototype.

Recorded from the interactive design prototype with fictional patient data. Open one to play it here with chapters and captions.

All 7 walkthroughs for embryology & lab

Common questions & sources

Questions from embryology & lab.

How OvaFlow handles edge cases, clinical authority, and source-system boundaries for this role.

Q01Does OvaFlow replace our electronic witnessing system (such as RI Witness or Matcher) or two-person bench checks?

Never. Physical and electronic witnessing stay entirely inside your laboratory's own witnessing system and SOPs. OvaFlow surfaces pre-procedure label or barcode discrepancies and hands the check off to qualified lab staff.[1]

Q02What happens in OvaFlow if an embryo does not survive warming on transfer morning?

Warming authorization in OvaFlow is tied to one exact embryo identifier. If that embryo does not survive warming, OvaFlow locks remaining stored embryos against automatic warming and opens an immediate decision handoff for the physician, embryologist, and patient.[1]

Q03How does OvaFlow help when a manufacturer issues a culture-media or consumable lot recall?

Instead of searching paper binders, OvaFlow lists the recorded dish-use instances linked to that lot, assigns a named reviewer for each potentially affected cycle, and keeps the recall investigation open until the Lab Director signs off.[4][5]

Q04How are shipping clearance and clinical-use release kept separate for transported specimens?

Allowing a cryoshipper to move between facilities under quarantine is not the same as clearing those gametes or embryos for clinical transfer or insemination. OvaFlow tracks transport chain-of-custody and item-by-item arrival separately from clinical-use release.[1][3]

Next step

Trace a lab day, dish by dish, with us.

Walk through PGT-M readiness, multi-biopsy lineage, culture-media lot recall investigations, and exact-embryo warming safeguards.

Request a walkthroughTry the sandbox