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Time-Lapse
More information that offers better results.
Time-Lapse history
Time lapse technology emerged as a solution to the limitations of conventional methods of embryo evaluation and selection. Prior to its emergence, embryologists and physicians relied on static visual evaluation of embryos at predefined stages to determine the optimal day for transfer.
This evaluation consisted of observing embryos at specific times of development, usually 24, 48 and 72 hours after fertilization, where specific characteristics were looked for, such as cell uniformity, fragmentation or the presence of morphological abnormalities, which determined their quality and viability.
However, this static assessment had limitations. Only a snapshot of the embryo’s development was obtained at specific times, leaving gaps in the understanding of its ongoing development, so it was not possible to observe the rate of cell division, segmentation patterns, or subtle morphological changes that occur between assessments.
What is Time - Lapse?
At Next Fertility we use Time Lapse technology with Vitrolife‘s EmbryoScope+ and Biomedx‘s Geri® to culture all of our embryos.
Vitrolife belongs to the Vitrolife Group and is a leading global provider of medical devices and genetic testing services. Genea Biomedx is part of the Genea Fertility Group, and both have more than 20 years experience in the market, during which time they have been dedicated to advancing the fertility science to help millions of families achieve their dream.
Time-lapse technology consists of capturing a series of photographs in different planes at regular intervals to create videos that show the evolution of the patient’s embryos over time, allowing us to observe the complete development of each embryo.
This technique has proved to be a very relevant advance in the analysis of embryo development, since, in addition to providing complete information on the progress of the embryos, it allows us not to alter the culture conditions, since by taking sequences of photos we can see their evolution without the need to remove them from the incubator, preserving the same conditions at all times and emulating to the maximum the conditions that naturally occur in the fallopian tubes.
How does Time-Lapse work?
The time-lapse incubators allow us to reproduce in the most reliable way the conditions that would occur in the maternal uterus, from the moment of fertilization of the oocyte until its implantation in the endometrium. This allows us to minimize the manipulation of the embryos throughout their development.
In addition, the time-lapse incubator has a camera inside each of the compartments that takes pictures every 5-20 minutes, which converts it into a video of the evolution of the embryo, so we can monitor its development at all times without periodic extractions.
To understand the advantage of time-lapse over traditional culture, the former records the development of the embryos without interruptions, providing a complete view of their evolution and reducing the need for manipulation. In contrast, traditional culture involved the periodic removal of samples, which meant that, on the one hand, a complete view of embryo development could not be obtained, and constant manipulation could be detrimental to the embryos.
Advantages of Time-Lapse
The advantages offered by time-lapse incubators over conventional methods used in assisted reproduction are:
- More information and continuous monitoring. Time-lapse helps us to observe and analyze the development of embryos at different stages, giving us a more complete view of their quality.
- Better embryo selection. Having more information about the embryos helps us to identify which ones have a higher probability of implantation.
- Improved culture conditions. By preserving the same conditions that would occur in the maternal uterus within the incubator itself, the chances of achieving pregnancy could be increased.
- Transparency and peace of mind. We deliver the video of the embryonic development to our patients, offering them greater transparency in the process.
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