A CONTAINER ASSEMBLY FOR FERTILIZATION AND CULTURE AND EMBRYO TRANSFER AND METHOD OF FERTILIZATION AND CULTURE EMPLOYING SUCH A CONTAINER

摘要

A fertilization and culture container, e.g. for intravaginal use, comprises a container body having an orifice for introducing a culture medium, one or mo re oocytes and sperm, resealable closure means for selectively opening and closing the container body orifice, the container body having a main chamber for receiving the culture medium, oocyt es and sperm and a microchamber for collecting for retrieval of one or more embryos. The container body has means for restricting access of retrieval catheter or pipette relative to th e microchamber. At least a portion of a sidewall of the container body defining said microchamb er is transparent and of optical quality for microscopic inspection of embryos prior to and/or during retrieval with a catheter or a pipette.