EmbryoScope Time-Lapse Incubator
reproductive
EmbryoScope Time-Lapse Incubator is available at 1 hospital across 1 city in the Voumed network.
1 hospital operates this technology across 1 country through the Voumed network; 1 of them holds JCI accreditation.
The EmbryoScope is an advanced incubator with a built-in camera, used during in vitro fertilisation to grow embryos and watch their development without ever taking them out of their protected environment. In a standard incubator, embryos must be removed and placed under a microscope to be checked, exposing them briefly to changes in temperature, light and air. The EmbryoScope removes that interruption: it keeps conditions perfectly stable while photographing each embryo at short intervals, building a time-lapse film of its growth that helps the embryology team choose the healthiest embryo to transfer.
Key takeaways
- It is a sealed incubator that holds warmth, humidity and gas balance even, with a microscope and camera inside that make opening the dish for a routine look unnecessary.
- Any cycle growing embryos in the laboratory can use it, and it earns its place above all when several embryos are available and one has to be picked for transfer or freezing.
- Frames are captured every few minutes by day and by night and assembled into a film, so the team judges how evenly and how fast each embryo divides instead of leaning on a couple of images.
- On your side the cycle changes in no way, since all of it happens in the laboratory between fertilisation and transfer.
- No incubator promises a pregnancy, the imaging light is brief and low in intensity, and the outcome still rests on many personal factors that the fertility team goes through with you.
On this page
At a glance
- Type
- time-lapse embryo incubator with continuous imaging
- Used for
- monitoring embryo development during in vitro fertilisation (IVF)
- Key benefit
- embryos stay undisturbed while their growth is watched, supporting better selection
- Where it is used
- leading accredited fertility centres abroad
What it is
The EmbryoScope is a sealed incubator that recreates the warmth, humidity and gas balance of the body so embryos can develop in stable, ideal conditions. Inside, a microscope and camera take regular photographs of every embryo, day and night, without the dish ever being opened or moved. These images are combined into a continuous time-lapse recording, so the embryologist can see exactly how and when each embryo divides and grows. Specialised software helps highlight key moments in development, giving the team detailed, objective information about each embryo that a few brief microscope checks could never capture.
How it works
After eggs are fertilised in the laboratory, the embryos are placed in individual positions inside the EmbryoScope, where temperature, humidity and gas levels are held steady. The built-in camera photographs each embryo every few minutes around the clock, and the system assembles these frames into a time-lapse video of the whole development. The embryology team reviews this footage to assess how evenly and at what pace each embryo divides, looking for the patterns linked to healthy growth. Because the lid is never lifted for routine checks, the embryos are never exposed to outside conditions until the day they are selected for transfer or freezing.
What it treats and who it helps
The EmbryoScope is used in IVF treatment to support couples and individuals trying to conceive. It is helpful in any cycle where embryos are grown in the laboratory, and is especially valuable when several embryos are available and the team must decide which one offers the best chance of pregnancy. The continuous record allows that choice to be based on each embryo's actual development over time, rather than on a single snapshot. Whether and how it is used is decided by the fertility team as part of an overall treatment plan tailored to each person's situation.
Benefits and what to expect
For you as a patient, the process is the same: your part of an IVF cycle does not change, and all of this happens inside the laboratory. The benefits come from the stable, undisturbed environment and the detailed time-lapse record. Keeping embryos in constant ideal conditions protects their quality, while the continuous imaging gives the team richer information to select the most promising embryo and to spot unusual development early. By supporting a more informed choice, this technology aims to improve the chance of a successful pregnancy and reduces reliance on brief, disruptive microscope checks.
Frequently asked questions
These answers are general guidance and may vary by provider. Confirm the details with the hospital you choose.
Is the EmbryoScope safe for my embryos?
Yes. It is designed to keep embryos in stable, ideal conditions and to photograph them with gentle, low-level light. Because the incubator is never opened for routine checks, embryos are actually better protected from changes in temperature and air than in standard methods.
Does using it change anything for me during treatment?
No. Your IVF cycle is the same from your side. The EmbryoScope works entirely within the laboratory, looking after and monitoring the embryos between fertilisation and transfer.
How does it help choose the best embryo?
The continuous time-lapse recording lets the embryology team see exactly how each embryo divides and grows over several days, rather than relying on a few brief checks. This detailed picture supports a more informed selection of the embryo most likely to lead to pregnancy.
Does it guarantee pregnancy?
No technology can guarantee pregnancy. The EmbryoScope aims to improve the chances by protecting embryo quality and supporting better embryo selection, but the outcome depends on many individual factors that your fertility team discusses with you.
Can the camera or light harm the embryos?
No. The imaging uses brief, low-intensity light designed specifically for embryos, and the embryos remain in their sealed, controlled environment throughout. This is considered gentler than repeatedly removing them for microscope checks.
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