Series: Get to Know Us – Dee Harris

Our team at Red Rock Fertility Center is committed to providing personalized service to all our patients. We believe that it’s beneficial for both the staff and patients to develop a personal relationship to have a better experience. That’s why we started this ongoing staff spotlight series. We want you to get to know us better, just as much we want to get to know you throughout your process.

This staff spotlight is on Dee Harris. As an embryologist at Red Rock Fertility Center, Dee assists Dr. Littman with their patients’ reproductive health issues and clinical research. She also works with egg retrieval, in vitro fertilization (IVF), and egg testing. When she’s not in the clinic, Dee is catching up on her shows, enjoying some good seafood, or spending time by the water with family.

Learn more about Dee Harris here:

• Can you tell us about the steps involved in the egg retrieval process?

  The egg retrieval process begins with stimulating the woman with injected medications to develop sufficient eggs for in vitro fertilization (IVF).

  1. Eggs develop in fluid-filled structures in the ovaries, called follicles. These eggs are loosely attached to the follicle wall.
  2. When the follicles are mature, the egg aspiration procedure is complete and the eggs can be retrieved. A needle is passed through the top of the vagina under ultrasound guidance to reach the ovary and follicles.
  3. The fluid in the follicles is then aspirated through the needle. The eggs will detach from the follicle wall and are aspirated out of the ovary.
  4. The fluid with eggs is transferred to the IVF lab where the eggs are identified, rinsed in culture media, and placed in small drops into plastic culture dishes. The dishes with the eggs are then kept in specialized IVF incubators under carefully controlled environmental conditions.

• What makes the new Clean Room at Red Rock Fertility Center unique and state of the art?

  Embryos are extremely sensitive to air quality. The air quality within an IVF lab plays a crucial role in embryonic development and overall IVF success. At Red Rock Fertility Center, we monitor air quality in the Clean Room according to ISO14644-1. Our lab also maintains a Class 5 when it comes to air cleanliness. We were able to achieve this by filtering air through HEPA (or high-efficiency particulate air) filters under positive pressure. This helps create a cleaner environment in general.

• What motivates you?

  Working in the embryo lab is my source of motivation every day. I’m in my natural element when I’m helping couples achieve their dreams of having children.

• What are your greatest professional and personal accomplishments?

  My greatest professional accomplishment is everything I’ve ever done at Red Rock Fertility Center. I didn’t start out in this career path, but I was always naturally drawn towards it. It’s incredibly fulfilling to see all the success we’ve had with helping our patients.As for personal life, my greatest personal accomplishment is the influence I’ve made in my family culture. Being the eldest in my family, I’ve always been the leader for all my siblings (there’s seven of us). We always enjoy spending time with each other and there’s just so much love when we’re together.

• Tell us about your own family?

  My family can be described in three easy words: big, close, and fun.

  

• What do you enjoy doing in your free time?

  Whenever I have some free time, catching up on my movies and TV shows is an absolute must-do.

• What is your favorite food or restaurant?

  Aside from my staple Filipino cuisine, I absolutely can’t resist seafood! My go-to restaurant is Ohjah Japanese Steakhouse for their “Holy Moly” king crab special.

• Favorite place to visit?

  I love anywhere that’s surrounded by water or the ocean, but my all-time favorite place is Hawaii with my family.

  

• If you weren’t in medicine, what would you be doing?

  I’d probably be in real estate flipping homes.

Please stay tuned for our next staff spotlight feature. We look forward to sharing more about our team in the coming months!