Written by Dr. Jamie Carter
01/22/2025
After the recent devastating fires in Los Angeles County in January 2025, many of our current and former patients reached out with concerns about our lab’s safety and our emergency protocols. In this piece, I’ll cover our lab’s location, the state-of-the-art technology we use for embryo creation and storage, our emergency procedures for disasters, and our air quality monitoring to ensure that embryos are shielded from environmental hazards.
PFCLA’s Location and Structural Buildout
Pacific Fertility Center Los Angeles is centrally located on Westwood Blvd, ideally situated near the 405 freeway, the L.A. VA, and UCLA. We chose this site to minimize risks from disasters. Our facility resides in the Oppenheimer Tower, a robust 34-story building made of concrete and steel, rated Type 1 for fire safety. This means it’s highly resistant to both internal and external fire threats due to its materials. Surrounded exclusively by other Type 1 buildings, the tower features a modern fire suppression system. In September 2023, the Los Angeles Fire Department conducted a thorough examination to ensure all safety protocols were up to code.
Given the seismic activity in Los Angeles, the tower’s deep bedrock foundation meets California’s stringent building codes. Our lab requires clean air to avoid particulate matter and VOC contamination, essential for IVF. The Oppenheimer Tower is equipped with MERV 13 filters to trap smoke, bacteria, and viruses. The building’s management actively monitors air quality and can shut off intake air if pollution levels rise, similar to how one might switch a car’s air system.
When designing our lab in 2023, we implemented the latest IVF technologies, including a dedicated HVAC system that maintains a positive-pressure environment. This ensures any remaining particles don’t settle in specimen cultures. We also have additional VOC and HEPA filters in the lab for extra safety.
Power interruptions can threaten biological specimens, so PFCLA has two backup systems to maintain stability during outages. First, we have an Uninterrupted Power Supply (UPS) to protect against brief power losses. For extended outages, we installed a diesel-powered backup generator, capable of running for days. In events of severe disasters, our priority is to stabilize specimens, employing emergency cryopreservation to put them in a suspended state. This method allows us to secure embryos without relying on a continuous power source, demonstrating our commitment to patient safety.
Security is paramount when handling sensitive materials like eggs and embryos. We utilize a state-of-the-art security system restricting lab access to authorized personnel only. Surveillance cameras monitor key areas, and we have multiple safety measures in place to protect our facility, staff, and patients.
PFCLA Laboratory Technology
While we strive to avoid shutting down operations, we have advanced technologies to maintain a safe and controlled environment for embryo handling. Our positive pressure HVAC system provides clean air, reducing contamination risks. Inside the lab, we use HEPA and VOC filters for additional air conditioning. For embryo handling, we employ laminar flow workstations that create a contaminant-repelling airflow. In more uncertain situations, we utilize isolette workstations, fully enclosed with controlled gases for embryo handling.
When not actively worked on, embryos are kept in specialized incubators that regulate humidity, pH, oxygen levels, and temperature. We have benchtop incubators for short-term culture and advanced Embryoscopes for longer-term monitoring, which allow us to observe embryos without opening the unit, thus protecting them from external risks.
In summary, PFCLA prioritizes the safety and success of our patients’ embryos through a combination of advanced technology, rigorous protocols, and a commitment to maintaining a secure environment. For more insights on fertility, consider checking out one of our other blog posts about Serena Williams, who breastfed longer than most U.S. moms while competing in tennis. If you’re looking for more resources, the CDC is an excellent resource for pregnancy and home insemination, and you might explore supplements from Make a Mom to boost fertility.