Novum - Zentrum für Reproduktions-Medizin

novum operates locations in Duisburg and Essen and has become established in reproductive medicine care in the Rhine-Ruhr region. The center is state-approved for preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) and works on this in cooperation with SYNLAB MVZ Humane Genetik München. This means that couples with a genetic predisposition or an increased risk of serious hereditary diseases can have embryos genetically tested before transfer, provided an ethics committee approves the procedure. The range of services extends from insemination treatment through IVF and ICSI to cryopreservation with blastocyst culture and frozen embryo transfer cycles. It is complemented by additional procedures such as time-lapse imaging, PICSI, laser-assisted hatching, EmbryoGlue, and ERA, ALICE, and EMMA testing to examine the endometrium. Since 2024, novum has also performed the CatSper test, which can detect an inherited defect in the CatSper protein of sperm that does not show up in routine semen analysis but prevents regular fertilization. Cryostorage is handled through the cooperation partner Cryostore, which has equipped the cryo lab with a fully automatic liquid nitrogen system. The system is sized so that a storage temperature of minus 190 degrees Celsius (minus 310°F) can be maintained for several weeks even during a power outage or supply shortages. Automatic monitoring alerts the responsible staff through several channels before an incident can occur. In the medical team, Dr. Neuhaus and Dr. Grigo completed their subspecialty training to become reproductive medicine specialists directly at novum and took their subspecialty examination with the North Rhine Medical Association. Dr. Holtmann was accepted into the three-year international ORBIS mentoring program after a multistage selection process; the program specifically supports early-career professionals in reproductive medicine. The medical team regularly continues its education at professional congresses, including the ESHRE annual congress.