The Advantages of Time Lapse Microscopy in Embryo Selection

Single embryo transfer (SET) in IVF is important for decreasing multiple pregnancy rates which are associated with various clinical complications. As such, the most challenging aim of the IVF lab is to develop additional parameters for selecting a top-quality embryo with the best implantation potential. Noninvasive procedures for embryo selection are based mainly on embryo morphology that is assessed at distinct time points during embryo development. Time-lapse microscopy (TLM) was first introduced in 2008 to clinical IVF and in 2012 in Israel, launching the search for morphokinetic parameters that are prognostic for implantation.

In my talk, I will describe the advantage of TLM in: 1) allowing us to observe dynamic developmental phenomena that are missed when embryos are incubated in a regular incubator; 2) providing us with build-in algorithms that integrate a huge set of morphokinetic parameters for selecting a top-quality embryo and thus increase SET, ultimately leading to a dramatic decrease in multiple pregnancy rates.