Efforts aimed at improving pregnancy rates have focused on the search for additional markers of viability to supplement current criteria for embryo selection. Time-lapse technology represents a powerful tool in assisted reproduction for evaluating embryos dynamically. Whilst standard methods of embryo assessment are based on subjective morphology evaluation at discrete time points, thereby limiting the information produced for embryo selection, time-lapse recording introduces several additional morphokinetic parameters for embryo evaluation. This additional information can improve implantation rates and reproductive outcomes. This review surveys available knowledge on time-lapse imaging to provide an overview of the advantages and applications of this technology.
Keywords: assisted reproduction; cleavage; embryo; exact timing; morphokinetic parameters; time lapse.
Copyright © 2013. Published by Elsevier Ltd.