In recent years, the time-lapse technique has altered the way of evaluating embryos during their incubation before embryo transfer.
The technique is based on the constant monitoring of embryos in the incubator, in which a special camera has been placed. This camera provides invaluable information concerning the embryos’ morphological development by constant time-lapse imaging (it takes pictures every 5 minutes). These images are stored to be evaluated at a later time, prior to the selection of embryos for embryo-transfer.
A basic advantage of this technique is that the embryos are not removed from the protected environment in the incubator in order to be evaluated by the embryologist.
Furthermore, this technique provides the expert with more evaluation criteria for monitoring, which may not be visible during the screenings performed at specified times outside the incubator.
By providing more detailed information on embryological dynamics, the continuous, non-invasive character of the time-lapse technique allows us to select the embryos with the greatest implantation potential and reduce the number of embryos which are transferred into the uterus. Thus, multiple birth rates are reduced.
