In Fertility and sterility ; h5-index 78.0
Over the past four decades our ability to maintain a viable human embryo in vitro has improved dramatically, leading to higher implantation rates. This has led to a notable shift to single blastocyst transfer and the ensuing elimination of high order multiple gestations. Future improvements to embryo culture systems will not only come from new improved innovative media formulations (such as the inclusion the addition of antioxidants), but plausibly by moving away from static culture to more dynamic perfusion-based systems now made a reality due to breakthroughs in 3D printing technology and micro fabrication. Such an approach has already made it feasible to create high resolution devices for ICSI, culture and cryopreservation, paving the way not only for improvements in outcomes but also automation of ART. While improvements in culture systems can lead to further increases in pregnancy outcomes, the ability to quantitate biomarkers of embryo health and viability will reduce time to pregnancy and decrease pregnancy loss. Currently artificial intelligence is being used to assess embryo development through image analysis, but we predict its power will be realised through the creation of selection algorithms based on the integration of information related to metabolic functions, cell free DNA, morphokinetics, thereby using vast amounts of different data types obtained for each embryo to predict outcomes. All of this will not only make ART more effective, but it will also make it more cost effective, thereby increasing patient access to infertility treatment worldwide.
Gardner David K, Sakkas Denny
2022-Dec-12
Artificial Intelligence, Biomarkers, Embryo culture, Metabolism, Viability
