Pioneering new technology at a Tyneside hospital is set to dramatically improve chances of successful IVF treatment for North East parents desperate for a child. The Fertility Unit at Gatesheads Queen Elizabeth Hospital will become the first in the region to use the new system which monitors embryo development every 15 minutes without the need to remove them from their incubator. It means embryologists are now able to identify healthier embryos that have the best chance of implantation and reduce the risk of miscarriage. The new system uses highly specialised Embryoscope incubators incorporating time lapse imaging, meaning the embryos do not have to be removed from their safe and stable environment for inspection. Traditional methods of assessing development during IVF involve removing the embryos from the incubator to examine them under the microscope. This exposes them to changes in environmental conditions such as temperature and light which can be stressful and impair development. Ian Aird, consultant gynaecologist and clinical lead for fertility services at the QE, said: We are delighted to be the first unit in the North East to be able to offer the benefits of time lapse embryology to all our patients undergoing IVF. When eggs fertilise and … Continue reading →

A PIONEERING method of IVF treatment which is expected to increase pregnancy rates is now available in the North-East. The system uses specialised incubators incorporating time lapse imaging and powerful data analysing software. The Fertility Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Gateshead now offers time lapse monitoring to patients undergoing IVF treatment. The new technology incorporates the use of new "Embryoscope" incubators equipped with time lapse imaging. This provides digital images of embryos every 15 minutes, allowing constant assessment of embryo development without removing the embryos from the stable environment of the incubator. Traditional methods of assessing embryo development during IVF involve removing the embryos from the incubator to examine them under the microscope. This exposes the embryo to changes in environmental conditions such as temperature and light which can be stressful to the embryo and impair its development. The time lapse images obtained can also provide unprecedented detail of early embryonic development to pinpoint precise timings when key developmental milestones occur. Using the powerful data analysing software in the Embryoscope, this extra information should enable embryologists to identify healthier embryos that have the best chance of implantation and reduce the risk of miscarriage. Embryologists can now provide a … Continue reading →