NOT ALL GLOVES ARE SAFE FOR IVF USE: WHAT TO AVOID IS KEY TO ENSURE POSITIVE IVF OUTCOMES

As someone working in a fertility clinic, you are part of a team that helps people realize their dreams of becoming parents. Every action you take, every tool you use, plays a role in these life-changing moments. One of the most overlooked but crucial elements in this process is something as simple as the gloves you wear.

What many people don’t realize is that not all gloves are safe for IVF use, and the wrong choice could have devastating effects on the success of a treatment - not due to a medical complication but because of unseen chemicals from a pair of gloves.

Most medical gloves are manufactured using accelerators designed to enhance durability and elasticity. Unfortunately, some common accelerators, such as thiurams, dithiocarbamates (DTCs), and mercaptobenzothiazoles (MBTs), are known to leach through gloves and are classified as reprotoxic, meaning they can interfere with reproductive health. When these substances come into contact with gametes or embryos, even briefly, they can disrupt sperm motility or embryo viability. These same accelerators are also responsible for up to 45% of the top 25 allergens¹ tested in healthcare workers reporting delayed-type skin allergies.

Reprotoxic substances may originate from any one or a combination of factors such as:

1. The glove formulation and production including the use of standard accelerators.
2. The glove material, specifically natural rubber latex.
3. Powders such as talcum powder or corn starch used in powdered gloves.
4. Gloves sterilized with Ethylene Oxide (EtO).

To ensure a glove is safe for IVF use, bioassays such as Mouse Embryo Assay (MEA) offer sensitive detection of possible reprotoxicity. Products which undergo reprotoxic screening will provide you with the assurance that your glove choice is not going to jeopardise IVF outcomes.