Blog

EmbryoScope – Monitorizare Time Lapse 

Embryoscope™ is a system for the ongoing monitoring of cultured embryos during development. With it, the embryologist can continuously assess embryos without having to remove them from the incubation environment, thus minimizing the kind of disturbance which may damage the embryo culture. The system provides the necessary physiological conditions for embryo development from fertilisation to blastocyst formation.

How does it work?

The time-lapse monitoring system contains an automated device with an embedded camera which photographs each cultured embryo repeatedly, at short intervals of 10-15 minutes. Once taken, the images acquired throughout a period of 5-6 culture days may be viewed as a motion picture, which facilitates the observation of key morphological features. In this way, the embryologist may select the best embryo for embryo transfer or cryopreservation.

Why EmbryoScope™?

The incubation and evaluation of embryos is an key step in assisted human reproduction (AHR) technology. The incubator used for monitoring embryos is an essential piece of equipment which, apart from serving its purpose, ca influence the quality of the embryo. Selecting embryos for transfer depends on an optimal culture environment and on accurate morphological information.

A conventional incubator offers a stable culture environment with regard to temperature, pH, humidity, carbon dioxide and oxygen concentration, but embryo assessment can only be done by extracting the embryos from the incubation environment once a day and analysing them under the inverted microscope. This limits the assessment of relevant details corresponding to the embryos’ division stages and can also unsettle the culture conditions, which can result in poorer quality blastocysts.

With the help of the EmbryoScopeTM, these limitations can be overcome and, instead, the process may benefit from the following advantages:

• Stable culture environments. Without the need to remove embryos from the incubator, their handling is minimal and the necessary environmental conditions remain optimal and stable (temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide and oxygen levels). Also, the EmbryoScopeTM incubator limits variations in temperature and gas composition when open, and it quickly restores optimal conditions compared to conventional incubators.

• The EmbryoScopeTM purifies the gases inside the chamber by constantly recirculating them through an active carbon filter, a HEPA filter, in order to eliminate the potentially damaging contaminants of volatile organic compounds.

• The time-lapse system uses red light with lower radiation effects compared to the level of radiation of light emitted by microscopes.
• It improves the process of embryo selection by providing accurate and detailed information about the stages of embryo development.

• Studies show that the EmbryoScope™ system helps with the identification and selection of good quality embryos, increasing the implantation success rate and reducing the incidence of spontaneous abortions!

 Carmen Marin, biologist