BEGIN:VCALENDAR VERSION:2.0 PRODID:-//Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam//NONSGML v1.0//EN NAME:PhD defense D.C. Kieslinger METHOD:PUBLISH BEGIN:VEVENT DTSTART:20260513T094500 DTEND:20260513T111500 DTSTAMP:20260513T094500 UID:2026/phd-defense-d-c-kieslinge@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573 CREATED:20260512T081453 LOCATION:(1st floor) Auditorium, Main building De Boelelaan 1105 1081 HV Amsterdam SUMMARY:PhD defense D.C. Kieslinger X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Development of Assisted Reproductive Technology Innovations

New IVF Technique Does N ot Increase Pregnancy Chance, But Costs More

Increasingly, IVF laboratories are using so-called time-lapse incubators: incubators with built-in cameras that continuously monito r the development of embryos. As a result, embryos no longer need to be removed from their stable environment. Using computer algorithms o r artificial intelligence, these images are analyzed to select an emb ryo. For a long time, it was thought that this technique would increa se the chance of pregnancy, but evidence for this was lacking.

This PhD research shows that this expectation is incorrect. Continuou sly monitoring embryos with a camera and culturing them in a time-lap se incubator does not lead to a higher chance of pregnancy within one year. Nor do patients get pregnant faster than with standard treatme nt. The method is safe for mother and child, but it entails additiona l costs. The findings are important because innovations in fertility care are sometimes introduced before it is clear whether they actuall y work better. High expectations and hype play a role in this. Hospit als invest heavily in this type of technology, while those investment s do not always lead to better results for patients. This research un derscores how important it is to thoroughly investigate and criticall y evaluate new technologies before they are widely adopted. Only in t his way can unnecessary costs be avoided and care remain affordable i n the future.

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New IVF Technique Does Not Increase Pregnancy Chance, But Costs More

Multiple embryos are often created during IVF tr eatment. The laboratory must then determine which embryo offers the g reatest chance of pregnancy. Normally, embryos are removed from the i ncubator daily for this purpose to be examined under a microscope. Th is can disrupt the culture conditions. Increasingly, IVF laboratories are using so-called time-lapse incubators: incubators with built-in cameras that continuously monitor the development of embryos. As a re sult, embryos no longer need to be removed from their stable environm ent. Using computer algorithms or artificial intelligence, these imag es are analyzed to select an embryo. For a long time, it was thought that this technique would increase the chance of pregnancy, but evide nce for this was lacking. This PhD research shows that this expectati on is incorrect. Continuously monitoring embryos with a camera and cu lturing them in a time-lapse incubator does not lead to a higher chan ce of pregnancy within one year. Nor do patients get pregnant faster than with standard treatment. The method is safe for mother and child , but it entails additional costs. The findings are important because innovations in fertility care are sometimes introduced before it is clear whether they actually work better. High expectations and hype p lay a role in this. Hospitals invest heavily in this type of technolo gy, while those investments do not always lead to better results for patients. This research underscores how important it is to thoroughly investigate and critically evaluate new technologies before they are widely adopted. Only in this way can unnecessary costs be avoided an d care remain affordable in the future. More information on the t hesis Development of Assisted Reproductive Technology Innovations END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR