How Embryo Quality is Enhanced by EmbryoScope Technology

Dr. John Zhang is proud to be one of very few fertility specialists in the world to use EmbryoScope technology. Quality embryo development is crucial to a successful IVF pregnancy. Here’s the deal: Embryologists must observe embryos culturing in vitro regularly in order to make accurate assessments of their development progress and quality. Minimizing the disturbance of embryos has been aided by time-lapsed technology – the EmbryoScope. Why does this matter? Before time-lapse technology, embryos used to be physically removed from the incubator by the embryologist for observation. This physical movement would disturb the culturing process by exposing the embryo to stress and fluctuations.

EmbryoScope Time-Lapse Technology

The EmbryoScope is an innovative, cutting-edge, time-lapsed photography and software solution. Bottom Line: The EmbryoScope allows the growth and development of embryos in vitro to be monitored without disturbing the culturing process.

The EmbryoScope improves IVF outcomes.

• Quantitative data on an embryo’s early stage of development in vitro
• Objective information on an embryo’s early stage of development in vitro
• Utilizes time-lapsed photography and software
• No need to manipulate embryos within the incubator in vitro
• No need to remove the embryos from the incubator in vitro

Candidates for EmbryoScope technology:

• Couples having previous failed IVF attempts
• Couples suffering from recurrent pregnancy loss (miscarriage)

Embryology Expertise

From a cell – to a newborn baby – embryology is the branch of biology and medicine focused on the study of an embryo from the point of fertilization through development to the fetus stage. The practice of embryology is key to pregnancy success through IVF technology.

Working with fertility doctors to successfully treat every patient’s underlying cause of infertility, the clinical embryologists at New Hope Fertility Center are responsible for:

• Assisting in the surgical retrieving of a woman’s eggs
• Performing post-surgical retrieval tests on eggs
• Performing in vitro tests on embryos
• Maintaining patient clinical records

Our acclaimed team of embryologists give careful attention to nurturing quality embryos as they develop in vitro. Only quality embryos are transferred to the patient’s uterus.

• Quality embryos have the highest chance of implantation into a woman’s uterine lining
• Quality embryos thrive into a fetus
• Quality embryos have the best chance of achieving a full-term, healthy pregnancy

After Egg Retrieval and In Vitro Culturing

Excess, quality embryos produced during a fresh IVF cycle are cryopreserved for future transfers via Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET). Only the highest quality embryos are cryopreserved for the best chances of a future FET pregnancy success.

Embryology Roles in the IVF Process

Our cutting edge laboratory technology provides embryos culturing in vitro with an optimum environment for healthy development prior to fresh transfer and/or cryopreservation for future FETs.

• HRSS – High Resolution Sperm Selection is technology used to identify and choose only highest quality sperm cells for fertilization of a healthy egg
• ICSI – Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection is technology used to treat male factor infertility by assisting in each healthy egg’s direct fertilization with only a high quality sperm
• Assisted Hatching is technology used to help embryos erupt from their shell and become more amendable to implantation in the uterine lining
• IVF/M – In Vitro Maturation is technology used to surgically retrieve a woman’s immature eggs and mature same in vitro before fertilization via ICSI
• EmbryoScope technology is used to gather time-lapsed data by monitoring every embryo’s development without disruption of the in vitro culturing process

HRSS – High Resolution Sperm Selection

Embryologists at New Hope Fertility Center choose only the healthiest sperm to fertilize an egg in vitro. HRSS technology provides embryologists with the ability to view sperm at 6000 x magnification using Differential Interference Contrast (DIC) microscopy. Through HRSS, an embryologist can view the physical details of each sperm – its shape, size, and motility – looking for good morphological appearance. Healthy sperm is essential to the development of a quality embryo in vitro. Normal chromosomes and less fragmentation in DNA are key factors that play a significant role in the quality of an embryo.

ICSI – Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

ICSI is an IVF laboratory ancillary procedure designed to help resolve male-factor infertility due to low sperm count or poor sperm quality. ICSI is the micromanipulation of fertilizing an egg by injecting a single sperm directly into the cytoplasm of a mature egg using a pipette (glass needle).

Assisted Hatching

A computer-assisted laser procedure – known as Assisted Hatching – helps the mass of cells inside an embryo escape during transfer for better uterine lining implantation success. A tiny opening is made in the Zona Pellucida through a computer-assisted laser after the embryo has cultured for up to five days.

(IVF/M) In Vitro Maturation

Through IVF/M – in vitro fertilization with maturation – immature eggs are retrieved for maturation in vitro and fertilization using ICSI.

EmbryoScope Technology Expertise

To schedule your initial consultation with Dr. John Zhang at New Hope Fertility Center – call 917.525.5496.