Evidence of the clinical benefits of using the EmbryoScope™ time-lapse system continues to grow. As an increasing number of clinics gain more knowledge about embryo morphokinetics from their specific labs, more studies demonstrate that using the EmbryoScope™ time-lapse system for embryo culture and assessment makes a difference in IVF.
Clinically Proven Enhancement of IVF Outcomes in Randomised Controlled Trial
A retrospective study has shown that the combination of the EmbryoScope™ time-lapse system with a customised morphkinetic model resulted in a relative increase of 20% in the clinical pregnancy rate when compared with culture in a standard incubator (Meseguer et al., 2012). The results of this study have now been challenged in a large randomised controlled trial (RCT). In the RCT the overall implantation rate increased by 21% and the ongoing pregnancy rate increased by 23.2% when compared to standard incubation and assessment. The clinical benefits of using the EmbryoScopeTM time-lapse system were thus profoundly demonstrated (Rubio et al., Fertil. Steril., in press).
Reduced Miscarriage Rate
Use of the EmbryoScope™ time-lapse system significantly reduced the miscarriage rate as compared with standard methods.
EmbryoScope™ User Since 2012 Says:
“In our laboratory we see relative increases of 18% in clinical pregnancy rate and 22.6% in ongoing pregnancy rate when EmbryoScopeTM treatments are compared with standard treatments” says Andrea Borini, Raffaella Sciajno and Cristina Lagalla from Tecnobios Procreazione Bologna, Italy
EmbryoScope™ User Since 2013 Says:
“With the EmbryoScope™ time-lapse system we experienced that compared with a standard benchtop incubator we can achieve the same pregnancy rates by transferring less embryos (1.39 VS 1.95). We observed a substantially higher implantation rate (50% VS 41%) and we could reduce our multiple birth rate from 25% to 19%” says Lydia Els-Smit, Lizanne and Johannes Waart from Wijnland Fertility, Stellenbosch, South Africa (data from Jan 2013 to July 2014, includes all ages and fresh and frozen transfers).
Multinucleation: Impact on Clinical Outcomes
The EmbryoScope™ time-lapse system can be used for identifying multinucleation in developing embryos. A recently published study demonstrated the significantly reduced clinical pregnancy rates (23.3 VS 43.6) for transfers with multinucleated VS transfers without any multinucleated embryos respectively. Only 27.6% of multinucleated embryos were identified within traditional time limits for embryo assessment. Data from Ergin, E.G., et al., Fertil Steril(2014): 102(4)
Impact and Incidence of Direct Cleavage
An analysis of 2494 embryos performed by FertiliTech demonstrates that 63% of embryos exhibiting direct cleavage from one to three cells would not have been detected by conventional static monitoring at 27 to 29 hours after fertilisation.
The incidence and impact of direct cleavage is depicted in the studies below.
Sources
FertiliTechNOTE: Clinical Benefits of the EmbryoScope™ Time-lapse System, Unisense FertiliTech A/S, v3, OCTOBER 2014