Texas Fertility Center is the first fertility clinic in the US to receive new generation embryo timelapse

The next major accomplishment in the in vitro fertilization laboratory will be one that allows doctors and embryologists to select the best embryos for transfer. This will allow us to transfer fewer embryos, reducing or eliminating the risk of multiple pregnancy as well as improving pregnancy rates.

The current “state of the art” for embryo selection is based on an embryo’s appearance. Embryos with round cells of equal size and little cellular fragmentation are thought to be more healthy. Unfortunately, this has often been shown to not be true, as at least 60% of “beautiful” Day 3 embryos are chromosomally abnormal.

More recently technology allows us to analyze the chromosomes in the embryo before transfer. Unfortunately, this procedure requires the removal of at least one cell from the embryo – a procedure that may actually damage an otherwise normal embryo.

The latest advance in the IVF lab employs time lapse photography so embryonic development can be observed continuously, rather than just once each day. In addition, as the new scope is actually mounted inside the incubator, embryos do not have to taken out of their ideal environment to be analyzed. If validated, this new technology will allow non-invasive embryonic evaluation – resulting in fewer embryos transferred and higher pregnancy rates.