Leading the way in artificial intelligence and IVF research at ESHRE in Paris

Ovation® Fertility’s groundbreaking IVF research on the use of artificial intelligence in embryo selection was presented at the renowned European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) 2025 Annual Meeting in Paris, France. The study, entitled “Retrospective comparison of deep learning versus logistic regression for selecting the best embryo for transfer,” was led in part by Ovation Fertility’s Vice President of Scientific Advancement Matthew (Tex) VerMilyea, PhD, HCLD/CC (ABB), who serves as the scientific lead for the Ovation Fertility network of labs, which includes Texas Fertility Center’s Texas IVF labs.

This study found that both deep learning and logistic regression AI models show promise for identifying the ‘most likely to succeed’ embryo produced in an IVF cycle. This is a big step forward in our use of AI to help our patients achieve IVF success.

How is AI used in IVF?

For decades, embryologists have chosen the best embryo for transfer by viewing each embryo under a high-powered microscope, looking for specific features. As part of this IVF research, AI is being developed as an additional tool to help them choose the embryo most likely to result in a successful pregnancy.

For several years, Ovation Fertility’s Texas IVF labs, along with TFC, have collaborated with leading AI innovators around the world to advance the use of AI in IVF. By training AI systems to recognize images of embryos that have led to successful pregnancies, these researchers have been working to enhance AI’s ability to serve as a supplemental tool in embryo selection.

This most recent IVF research, presented at ESHRE, evaluated 4,543 images and morphology grades of individual embryos from 870 anonymized patients whose IVF materials were processed by the Ovation IVF lab in Austin. Because these IVF cycles were completed in 2024, and 90% of the embryos had been genetically tested at that time, the study was able to test two different AI models’ abilities to select the best embryo based on real pregnancy rates.

The embryo images were collected throughout 2024 with an embryo image capture software called Alife Embryo Assist, developed by California-based Alife Health, which collaborated to produce this study. The researchers used both deep learning and logistic regression models to rank each patient’s embryos, with the idea that the highest-ranked embryo would be the one selected for transfer.

This IVF research proves once again that AI can help predict IVF success

The study found that the top-ranked embryo selected by a deep learning model was the one selected for transfer in 45% of embryo groupings, or cohorts, while the top-ranked logistic regression model embryo was transferred in 76% of cohorts. Transferring the top-ranked embryo by deep learning was associated with an 8.9% higher pregnancy rate. Transferring the top-ranked embryo by logistic regression was associated with a 4.1% higher pregnancy rate.

Texas Fertility Center is proud to have contributed to this groundbreaking research and the development of AI in enhancing IVF success. ESHRE is one of the most important conferences in the world for the fertility science field, and this research will help more patients all over the world achieve successful pregnancies with single embryo transfers.

Learn more about our commitment to leading the field of IVF research in collaboration with our outstanding Texas IVF labs.

Read the retrospective here.