What Is EmbryoScope? – Use in IVF

The Embryoscope is a state-of-the-art incubator that allows for the uninterrupted viewing of embryos in real time. This incubator consists of a camera capable of capturing images every 10 minutes during the entire embryonic development of those embryos cultivated in vitro, and thus it is used for in vitro fertilization or egg donation treatments.

This novel incubation technology makes it possible to observe changes in the embryos, which would go unnoticed if a conventional incubator were used. Therefore, the Embryoscope offers more information, which is a great advantage in embryo selection.

What is Embryoscope?

The Embryoscope is a innovative incubator that incorporates time-lapse technology. This means that inside the incubator there is a camera that takes images of the embryos every 10 minutes, so that from the outside you can see a video of the embryonic development.

This innovative incubator allows both biologists and future parents to observe the first hours of the future baby's life. What’s more, the embryo is developed without the need to be manipulated and taken outside for observation.

Embryos in Embryoscope

Benefits

What really makes the Embryoscope incubator revolutionary within assisted reproduction is the incorporation of a camera that automatically takes images every 10-15 minutes.

Conventional incubators do not have a camera, so in order to observe the embryos they must be removed from the incubator. This type of incubator allows evaluations to be carried out at specific times, missing what happens between one observation and the next. Furthermore, it is not advisable to carry out many evaluations, as there are numerous studies that indicate that continuously removing embryos from the incubator can compromise their viability.

Embryoscope cultivation vs. traditional cultivation

The following are the main advantages of the Embryoscope:

• The embryos do not have to be removed for evaluation, which reduces the manipulation of the embryos.
• More stable culture conditions. This avoids changes in temperature, light, pH, etc. that can cause stress and affect embryonic quality.
• It allows us to see in real time what is happening at each moment, ensuring that we can choose the embryos with the greatest potential for implantation for transfer to the mother's uterus.
• It provides a greater amount of information.

In short, the Embryoscope allows a greater amount of information to be obtained, without affecting the optimal embryo culture conditions.

Limitations

The Embryoscope, in spite of all its advantages, also has some limitations that are discussed below:

• Inability to rotate the embryos during observation, taking into account that they are three-dimensional structures.
• Bubbles appear in the culture medium. This can lead to the loss of some event during the development of the embryos.
• There is a small gap, since all the eggs are not injected at the same time. However, this gap is so minimal that it does not affect the results.
• Higher cost of embryo culture and higher cost of IVF treatments.

Limitations of the Embryoscope

In addition, there is a small time lag between embryos, as all oocytes are not microinjected at the same time. However, this time lag is so minimal that it does not affect the results.

Embryo culture with Embryoscope

After the extraction of the eggs and their fertilization with the sperm in the laboratory, the embryos generated will be deposited in the incubator for 3-5 days. During this time, the embryos must develop by increasing their number of cells day by day.

The embryos remain in culture plates that have all the necessary nutrients for their development. In addition, the incubators maintain low oxygen pressures to mimic the conditions of the fallopian tube, which is where the embryo would be found in a natural gestation during these early days.

What is embryo culture?

WAt day 3 or 5 of embryo development, good quality embryos selected from the information provided by the Embryoscope can be transferred to the patient's uterus or cryopreserved for future attempts.

Embryo Selection

Until relatively recently, the only method of embryo sorting consisted of evaluating the morphological characteristics of the embryos under the inverted microscope. In this way, parameters such as cell size and symmetry, cell number, percentage of cell fragmentation, etc. are analysed.

The Embryoscope and its Time-Lapse technology allows the observation of the embryos from the moment of fertilization until they are transferred to the uterus. This ensures that more information is obtained and that embryo selection is made on the basis of morphokinetic characteristics.

Therefore, in addition to embryo morphology, the Embryoscope takes into account the kinetics, i.e. the exact time at which certain important events of embryonic development, such as the first cell divisions, have occurred.

What are the morphokinetic characteristics of the embryo?

For more information on embryo classification criteria, please visit the following article: How are embryos classified according to their day of development?

Who needs Embryoscope?

The use of this technology is indicated for all types of patients receiving assisted reproduction treatment in which the embryos need to be cultivated in the laboratory, such as in vitro fertilization or egg donation.

Main indications for the Embryoscope

However, the patients who can benefit most are those who have a large number of embryos, since it can be more complicated to determine among them which ones are optimal for transfer.

It is also advisable to use it in couples who have had several failed in vitro fertilization cycles. Specialist José Muñoz tells us that:

In principle, we are using it in patients with good embryonic quality and who do not achieve pregnancies, to see more, learn more and choose better the embryos that are transferred.

FAQs from users

What is embryoslide?

The "embryoslide" is a culture plate for embryos and has the peculiarity that it has several wells for the culture of embryos separately and that it also fits in the timelapse incubators. Each type of timelapse incubator has its own specific plate.
Read more

Does the Embryoscope improve success rates?

There's quite a bit of controversy about that. In general, there is no clear evidence that time-lapse incubators improve success rates. However, there are studies that claim that more embryos will be able to reach the blastocyst stage due to better culture conditions and that higher gestation rates can be achieved by better embryo selection.

What other types of incubators are available for embryo culture?

The first incubators for embryo culture were large and the embryos of all patients were stored in the same space. Therefore, when a patient's embryos had to be removed for microscopic viewing or transfer, the temperature and gas conditions were temporarily altered, and this could affect all the embryos.

More recently, "benchtop" or "sandwich" type incubators have been developed. These have individualized compartments for each patient, so that opening one does not affect the others. In addition, the culture conditions are much better than with the first incubators, as they work at low oxygen pressures, so they imitate the conditions of the human body much better. The difference between these incubators and the Embryoscope® or other types of time-lapse incubators is that they do not have a built-in camera, so if you want to monitor the development of the embryos you need to remove them from the incubator to look at them under the microscope.

What has changed in embryo selection with the incorporation of Embryoscope?

With conventional incubators, embryo selection is based on morphological criteria. To do this, the embryos must be taken out of the incubator and observed under the microscope. This whole process could alter the culture conditions, no matter how fast it is done.

However, the Embryoscope allows the analysis of the embryo kinetics. Furthermore, an evaluation can be made at any time during development, without having to remove the embryos from the incubator and, therefore, without altering the culture conditions.

How much does the embryoscope incubator cost when used in IVF?

Prices for embryo culture in Embryoscope type incubators may vary from clinic to clinic. However, the added cost of conventional IVF is usually around 300-500 euros.

What are the differences between Embryoscope and Embryoscope plus?

The Embryoscope plus, like the Embryoscope, are incubators that incorporate time-lapse technology that allows continuous monitoring of the embryos without the need to remove them from the incubator.

However, the main difference between the two incubators is their capacity. The Embryoscope has a capacity for the embryos of 8 patients, while the Embryoscope plus can hold the embryos of up to 15 different patients.

Suggested for you

If you would like more information on time-lapse technology, you can visit the following article: What is time-lapse - Improving in vitro embryo development.

On the other hand, the objective of this incubator is to transfer the best embryo, so I recommend you read the following article: Embryo transfer.