Other Women's Jobs // Suzanne Cawood

NAME: SUZANNE CAWOOD

AGE: 41

INSTAGRAM HANDLE: @suzecawood

JOB TITLE: DIRECTOR OF EMBRYOLOGY

WHAT I DO: I manage the embryology, andrology and storage laboratories for CRGH, a clinic with consistently one of the highest success rates in the country. I am also highly involved with genetics services, routinely ensuring only embryos free of hereditary conditions are available for transfer. I was involved in the teams responsible for the first babies born free of the BRCA gene (breast cancer) and retinoblastoma (a childhood eye cancer). In essence this makes me responsible for a fantastic team of scientists who create life every day for those who are struggling with infertility.

6 AM: Getting ready for work is extremely easy. Scientists in an embryology lab can not wear make-up, perfumes, or nail vanish due to their toxicity to embryos. So, it is get up and get ready to make babies! We also must be incredibly conscious that any time we are not working at full capacity and with the utmost concentration, could result in a decrease in success rates for our patients, so no drinking or late nights as we need to be well rested for each day.

8AM: By 08:00, a team of us are already in the lab, in our scrubs. First thing is checking and grading every embryo for every patient in the lab so we can plan the day and advise the patients on the best course of action for that day.

10AM: At 10:00, I will normally be biopsying embryos. This is where I will remove 5-10 cells from an embryo and prepare them to be genetically tested. This is a technique which requires dexterity and precision. An embryo is not able to be seen by the human eye, so we are working in microscopic conditions, ensuring no damage occurs to each embryo.

12NOON: Lunchtime is one of the busiest times of the day in an embryology lab. In the morning, other members of the team will have been in an operating theatre collecting eggs from a female patient, whilst another scientist will have been preparing sperm from the male patient. At lunchtime, I will be injecting a sperm, the smallest cell in the human body, into an egg, hoping this will be the start of making someone’s dreams come true.

2PM: One of my favourite procedures to perform is the embryo transfer. This is where the embryo selected for transfer is implanted back into the uterus of the female patient. So much has led to this moment, and it is a privilege to be involved in this crucial stage of the journey.

4PM: At the end of the day, we will be finishing off procedures in the lab, possibly vitrifying embryos (a special method of freezing) and calling any patients who have any questions about their embryos.

6PM: We will close the lab for the day, performing our daily shut down, which involves once again checking on all the embryos in the lab, as well as cleaning the lab. It is imperative we constantly create an environment which is as womb-like as possible. As such, we are continually monitoring temperatures, pH, osmolality and much more.

8PM: I will be home for some much-needed R&R. Being an embryologist is emotionally exhausting, every day is different as every embryo and every patient is unique. We must constantly keep up with the ever-evolving technologies to keep ahead of the science and ensure the best possible outcomes for our patients. We do not always have good news, however, and it is hard not to get emotionally invested in your patients.

10PM: Hopefully I will be getting ready for bed at this point. However, an embryologist is never truly off work. All our equipment is being constantly monitored and if anything goes even slightly awry, we are on call to head straight back into the lab to ensure the incredibly precious embryos are safe.

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