How EmbryoScope time-lapse technology improves IVF treatment, supports embryo selection and increases IVF pregnancy success rates
Boost IVF success with Embryoscope! This innovative incubator helps select the best embryo for your IVF treatment. Maximize your chances today.
What is embryo culture and why is it important?
Modern IVF technology has made it easier than ever to monitor embryo development, and one innovation that has received growing attention is the EmbryoScope. This time-lapse incubator is designed to support embryo development in the most stable conditions possible, while also giving embryologists powerful tools to select the best embryos for transfer. With the EmbryoScope time-lapse system, you can monitor your embryos continuously, without ever having to remove them from the incubator.
In standard IVF procedures, embryos are usually taken out of the incubator once or twice a day to be checked under a microscope. This can cause slight temperature or humidity changes, creating stress to the embryo. In contrast, the EmbryoScope creates a stable culture environment, capturing an image of your embryos every ten minutes over two to six days. These time-lapse videos of individual embryos allow for more precise embryo selection, helping to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.
Choosing the best embryo for transfer is a key factor for obtaining higher IVF success. With innovations like the EmbryoScope, individual embryos are generated, tracked and assessed with more accuracy. Studies suggest this approach may help improve IVF success rates by reducing the risk of transferring embryos with low implantation potential. This is especially relevant for women undergoing IVF who want to select a single embryo with the highest chance of success and ideally significantly reduce miscarriage rate at the same time.
The EmbryoScope is a special kind of IVF technology, but it’s just one example of a new generation of tools used in the field of IVF. In the sections below, we’ll show you what the EmbryoScope does, how it compares to other options like EmbryoScope+, and how modern labs use these technologies to support better embryo selection. Whether you are just starting your IVF journey or already preparing for an embryo transfer, understanding how time-lapse incubators work could help you make more informed decisions and maybe even improve your IVF treatment.
What happens after fertilisation in the lab
Once fertilisation has taken place, the developing embryos are placed in an incubator where they begin their first cell divisions. Over the next two to six days, embryologists monitor the development of each embryo. This stage is crucial because the number of embryos, their quality, and how they divide all play a role in deciding which embryo will be selected for transfer or freezing.
In clinics using time-lapse incubators, embryologists can observe the full course of development without moving the embryo from the incubator. This provides additional information about the timing and symmetry of cell division, two aspects of embryo development that are considered key indicators for implantation success.
How embryos are nurtured until transfer day
From fertilisation to transfer, the embryos stay in a stable culture environment that mimics natural conditions as closely as possible. The goal is to reduce stress to the embryo and support healthy development. In a time-lapse incubator like EmbryoScope, images of your embryos are taken every ten minutes. These images are compiled into a time-lapse video that allows embryologists to track the development of individual embryos in great detail.
This monitoring helps identify the embryos with the best potential, which supports better embryo selection and may improve IVF success. The information gained from using time-lapse technology makes it easier to select a single embryo with the highest chance of a successful pregnancy while avoiding unnecessary interventions.
What is an IVF incubator and how does it work?
An IVF incubator is a special device used in the lab to provide the ideal environment for developing embryos. After fertilisation, embryos are placed inside this closed system, where temperature, humidity, and gas levels are carefully controlled. The incubator is designed to mimic conditions in the human body, giving embryos the best chance to grow and divide until embryo transfer.
Some IVF labs now use time-lapse incubators like EmbryoScope, which also include a built-in microscope and camera to capture embryo development over time, without interrupting the incubation process.
Conventional incubators and their limitations
Traditional incubators require embryologists to remove embryos several times a day for observation under a microscope. Each time embryos leave the incubator, they are briefly exposed to changes in temperature, light, and oxygen. While this has been the standard in IVF for decades, it can cause minor stress to the embryo and lead to less precise embryo selection.
Conventional incubators do not offer continuous monitoring, which means key developmental milestones might be missed between observations.
Why stability and air quality matter for embryos
Embryos are extremely sensitive to their environment during the first days of development. Even small fluctuations in temperature or air quality can affect their ability to divide and grow. That’s why modern incubators focus on maintaining a stable culture environment at all times.
Time-lapse systems like EmbryoScope offer additional protection by reducing handling and exposure to outside conditions. This stable setting supports improved embryo development and may increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.
Time-lapse incubators – a modern evolution in IVF labs
Time-lapse incubators represent one of the most meaningful innovations in IVF lab technology. They allow embryologists to continuously monitor embryo development without ever removing the embryos from the incubator. A camera integrated into the incubator takes images at regular intervals, creating a complete visual timeline of how each embryo develops.
This approach gives clinics a much more detailed picture of early embryo behaviour – information that was simply not available with conventional methods.
Why time-lapse systems are more advanced
Time-lapse incubators combine stable incubation with continuous observation. This reduces the stress embryos might otherwise experience from repeated handling. It also makes it easier for embryologists to select the embryo with the highest potential by evaluating not just how it looks at one moment, but how it has developed over time.
Because every embryo is different, seeing the full development pattern allows for better embryo selection – and potentially higher success rates in IVF treatment.
Common brands: EmbryoScope ®, Geri®, MIRI® and more
Several time-lapse systems are now in use across modern IVF labs. EmbryoScope® was one of the first and is still widely used today. Other well-known systems include Geri®, MIRI®, Eeva™, and Primo Vision™. Each offers a slightly different setup, but they all follow the same core principle: to improve embryo monitoring without compromising the culture conditions.
In this article, we’ll take a closer look at EmbryoScope® as an example – without comparing or ranking different systems.
Example: How Embryoscope improves ivf treatment, increase the chances of success, how it works – and why it’s different
EmbryoScope is a special type of time-lapse incubator designed to support ivf treatment by offering a stable, high-quality environment for embryo development. What makes it different is its ability to take an image of each embryo every ten minutes without removing them from the incubator. Over two to six days, this results in a detailed time-lapse video that shows exactly how each embryo develops, cell by cell.
This continuous monitoring allows embryologists to observe crucial milestones like the timing and pattern of cell divisions. By having this detailed view of each embryo’s development, they can better select the embryos with the highest chances of success and ultimately increase the chance of a successful pregnancy. This makes EmbryoScope a valuable innovation in ivf technology, with the potential to improve ivf success rates by supporting better embryo selection.
Continuous monitoring without disturbing the embryo
With conventional incubation, embryos are taken out once or twice a day to be observed under a microscope. Every time this happens, the embryo’s environment is disturbed – light, air quality, and temperature can fluctuate.
The EmbryoScope® eliminates this step entirely. Because the camera is built into the incubator, embryos remain undisturbed in a stable environment, reducing stress and supporting healthier development during this critical stage of IVF.
What makes EmbryoScope+® different , what are the benefits of embryoscope – and how it improves embryo selection
EmbryoScope+® is an enhanced version of the original EmbryoScope®. It offers a larger capacity, allowing clinics to monitor more embryos simultaneously – ideal for patients undergoing multiple cycles or using donor eggs.
In some models, the camera resolution and software tools are also improved, offering even greater precision in evaluating embryo quality. While both versHow improved monitoring can support embryo selectionions follow the same principle, EmbryoScope+® is designed for more advanced labs that handle higher patient volumes or more complex IVF cases.
“Time-lapse technology has redefined embryo monitoring. In many modern IVF labs, it’s no longer a luxury – it’s a game changer that can significantly improve success rates.”
Nathalie Wiederkehr
Benefits of EmbryoScope® and time-lapse incubators for IVF success rates
Time-lapse incubators are more than just a high-tech upgrade – they represent a shift in how embryos are monitored and selected during IVF. By allowing uninterrupted observation throughout the full culture period, this technology gives fertility specialists a much deeper understanding of how each embryo is developing. This can lead to more confident decisions about which embryos have the best chance of resulting in a pregnancy.
How embryo monitoring helps identify embryos with the highest chances
Embryos grow in subtle, sometimes unpredictable ways. With standard observation, clinics may only catch a few key moments. But time-lapse videos capture every stage of development – from the first division to blastocyst formation. This detailed insight helps embryologists identify embryos with the most consistent and healthy development patterns. In many cases, it becomes possible to choose the single embryo with the highest potential – avoiding the need for transferring multiple embryos at once.
Why it may help reduce miscarriage rates
Miscarriages during IVF are often linked to chromosomal abnormalities or poor embryo quality – issues that are not always visible during traditional checks. With time-lapse technology, abnormal division patterns or delays in development are easier to spot. While time-lapse systems can’t guarantee a successful pregnancy, they give your care team more information to avoid transferring embryos with known irregularities, which may lower the risk of early pregnancy loss.
Scientific evidence from Cambridge IVF on EmbryoScope+® and embryo selection
While time-lapse technology sounds promising, many IVF patients wonder whether it actually makes a measurable difference. Fortunately, there’s now a growing body of research comparing time-lapse incubators like EmbryoScope+® with conventional methods. These studies explore not only embryo selection and implantation, but also long-term outcomes such as pregnancy and miscarriage rates.
Clinical studies comparing conventional and time-lapse incubators
Several large-scale studies have shown that time-lapse systems can improve embryo selection accuracy and reduce human error. By continuously monitoring embryo development, embryologists have more data points to work with – especially in the critical first few days after fertilisation. Some studies even report an increase in ongoing pregnancy rates when time-lapse imaging is used, compared to standard observation protocols. However, not all studies show the same effect size, and results can vary depending on lab protocols and patient groups.
What the research says about success rates and early miscarriage
Time-lapse incubators may contribute to better outcomes by identifying embryos that are less likely to implant or more likely to miscarry. Certain abnormal cleavage patterns or timing delays are now known to be associated with poorer results. This means clinics using advanced monitoring can potentially avoid transferring embryos with these risk factors. Still, while improved monitoring supports embryo selection, it does not replace genetic testing or guarantee a live birth.
Limitations and realistic expectations
Time-lapse technology is a helpful tool – but not a miracle solution. Success in IVF depends on many factors: egg quality, sperm health, the uterine environment, and more. While EmbryoScope+® supports better decisions in the lab, it cannot fix fundamental biological limitations. Patients should see it as one of many tools that can optimise treatment, not as a guarantee. And not every clinic that uses time-lapse systems applies them in the same way – training, experience, and lab quality still matter.
Finding an IVF clinic using advanced embryo incubators and time-lapse technology
Time-lapse systems like EmbryoScope®, Geri®, MIRI® oder andere moderne Inkubatoren sind nicht in jeder IVF-Klinik verfügbar – und oft auch nicht klar auf der Webseite ersichtlich. Wenn dir diese Technologie wichtig ist, solltest du gezielt danach fragen. Manche Kliniken verwenden sie nur bei bestimmten Patientinnen oder gegen Aufpreis. In manchen Ländern ist sie Standard, in anderen kaum verbreitet. Es lohnt sich also, frühzeitig herauszufinden, ob deine Wunschklinik damit arbeitet.
What to ask when researching IVF labs
When evaluating IVF labs, don’t hesitate to ask specific questions: Does the clinic use time-lapse incubators? Which brand? Are all embryos cultured this way, or only in certain cases? Do they use AI-assisted selection tools? How experienced are their embryologists in interpreting time-lapse data? These questions can help you understand the lab’s quality and transparency.
Why not all clinics offer advanced incubators
Time-lapse systems are expensive and require trained staff. Some clinics choose not to invest in them or use them only selectively. Space, cost, or staffing may limit their use. A clinic that doesn’t offer time-lapse technology isn’t necessarily low quality – but if it’s important to you, focus your search on clinics that are fully equipped and experienced in using it effectively.
How personal guidance helps you find the best match
If you don’t want to spend hours researching on your own, working with a trusted advisor can save you time and stress. Understanding the technical differences between labs, knowing which clinics actually use EmbryoScope® or similar systems – and how – requires insider knowledge. I know many clinics personally and can help you find one that’s not only well-equipped, but also makes you feel safe and supported.
Download the free guide about IVF Clinics in Europe.
