Natasa Strbo is part of a UM team studying the relationship between the makeup of uterine fluid at the time of in vitro fertilization and the success of embryo transfer. They evaluated fluid samples taken from women during IVF embryo transfers to assess the proportion of immune cells

One goal was to identify immune cells released by the endometrium into the uterine fluid during the period of optimal conditions for embryo transfer. “If you are outside of that window of opportunity, then the implantation will never happen,” Strbo says. The team found significant differences in the presence and level of immune cells. They plan to correlate their immunologic findings at the time of IVF with pregnancy outcomes to determine if there is a role for uterine fluid analysis in infertility medicine.

• Natasa Strbo