Time Lapse Technology for Embryo Culture, Development and Selection
EmbyroScope Plus (ES+) is the next generation of time lapse systems that is used to carefully monitor and analyse the development of every embryo. This cutting-edge system combines an incubator, high resolution camera and computer software to automatically take an image of every developing embryo up to every 10 minutes. These images can be reviewed at any time by our highly trained embryologists without removing the embryos from the incubator. This next generation time lapse technology can aid in the selection of the best quality embryo for transfer based on cell division patterns and time points. The cell division pattern and development time points are especially important for predicting further developing potential, as well as implantation and pregnancy potential. These time points can only be obtained using this next generation time lapse technology whereas conventional observation under the microscope does not allow us to capture all of these time points.
The Conventional Way
When you undergo an in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) or an intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) cycle, your embryos will be kept in a strictly controlled environment in heated incubators mimicking the conditions in a woman’s body. Assessment of embryo selection is limited to brief “snap-shot” glimpses at defined time points in order to minimise disturbances to culture conditions. Based on these briefed observations, embryologists can only select embryos based on the morphology made at the final observation.
What are the Benefits of using EmbryoScope+?
- Improve pregnancy success rates
- Improve embryo selection and select the most viable embryo for transfer
- Reduced handling: Scientists can review the development of embryos at any point in time without removing them from the delicate environment in their incubators
- More monitoring: Scientists can analyse more than 7200 minutes of an embryo’s development compared with the without Embryoscope+.
- First video of your baby: If you would like one, you can receive a video of the transferred embryo developing
Which patients will benefit from the use of the Embryoscope+?
All patients undergoing IVF/ICSI will potentially benefit from the use of the Embryoscope+.
Time Lapse Embryo Monitoring System
A new approach to embryo culture using an advanced time lapse embryo imaging system to identify the BEST embryos for transfer enabling even higher chances of pregnancy.
How does Time Lapse work?
The selection of embryos for transfer is crucial to the success of IVF. Time Lapse Embryo Monitoring System has the capability to visualize the progress of embryo development continuously from Day 0 to Day 5 or Day 6 of the development with a photograph taken every 5 minutes in the incubator allowing embryo development to be assessed and observed as a time lapse movie. This video enables us to identify the best embryos with the highest chances of creating a successful pregnancy.
Failure in selecting the most viable embryo in a given fertility treatment cycle limits the success rates of current procedures.
Currently, the standard selection of embryo involves microscopic assessment at a specific moment in time once outside the incubator. However, because embryo development is a dynamic process, critical stages between morphological observations can be missed. The shortcomings of current procedures in standard embryo selection can now be overcome using time lapse embryo monitoring system. Another added advantage of this imaging system is we can view the embryos continuously without the need to remove them from the warm and stable conditions of the incubator, hence embryos develop in undisturbed culture under strict environmental control.
