During IVF or ICSI treatment, embryos are created and then cultured in the laboratory for several days. This takes place in an incubator, where we carefully maintain the ideal conditions for development. Once the embryos have developed sufficiently, they are transferred to the intended parent or frozen for later use.
Why is the EmbryoScope so valuable?
Not every embryo develops in the same way. The quality of an embryo plays a crucial role in the success of a treatment: the better the quality, the greater the chance of a healthy pregnancy. That is why our embryologists closely follow the development of each embryo, so that they can select the best one.
In the past, this meant that the embryos had to be briefly taken out of the incubator every day to be assessed under a microscope. However, this caused disturbances such as fluctuations in temperature, humidity and pH – all factors that are important for a stable growth environment.
In 2020 we became the first clinic in the Benelux to use the EmbryoScope: an innovative incubator developed specifically for IVF/ICSI treatment. This advanced technology combines a traditional incubator with a built-in microscope and camera, allowing embryos to be monitored continuously through time-lapse videos – without having to be taken out of the incubator.
A photo of the embryos is taken automatically every 10 minutes. Our embryologists analyse these images using smart software developed on the basis of data from thousands of IVF cycles worldwide. This reveals subtle patterns that indicate healthy development – essential when selecting the best embryos for transfer or freezing.
Since its introduction in 2009, the EmbryoScope has been used in more than one million IVF treatments worldwide. At our clinics, too, this technology helps to improve results and to fulfil the wish of many couples to have a child.
Would you like to look back on the very special beginning of your journey? You can request a time-lapse video of the embryo that was transferred to you. A unique and personal keepsake of an important moment.
Would you like to request a video? Please fill in the form below in full. Once we have processed your request, you will receive the video digitally.
