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:phd-defense-d-c-kieslinger@8F96275E-9F55-4B3F-A143-836282E12573 CREATED:20260921T115057 LOCATION: SUMMARY:PhD defense D.C. Kieslinger X-ALT-DESC;FMTTYPE=text/html:

Development of Assis ted Reproductive Technology Innovations

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

Increasingly, IVF laboratories are using so-called time -lapse incubators: incubators with built-in cameras that continuously monitor the development of embryos. As a result, embryos no longer n eed to be removed from their stable environment. Using computer algor ithms or artificial intelligence, these images are analyzed to select an embryo. For a long time, it was thought that this technique would increase the chance of pregnancy, but evidence for this was lacking.

This PhD research shows that this expectation is incorrect. Co ntinuously monitoring embryos with a camera and culturing them in a t ime-lapse incubator does not lead to a higher chance of pregnancy wit hin one year. Nor do patients get pregnant faster than with standard treatment. The method is safe for mother and child, but it entails ad ditional costs. The findings are important because innovations in fer tility care are sometimes introduced before it is clear whether they actually work better. High expectations and hype play a role in this. Hospitals invest heavily in this type of technology, while those inv estments do not always lead to better results for patients. This rese arch underscores how important it is to thoroughly investigate and cr itically evaluate new technologies before they are widely adopted. On ly in this way can unnecessary costs be avoided and care remain affor dable in the future.

More information on the thesis

DESCRIPTION: Development of Assisted Reproductive Technology Innovatio ns

New IVF Technique Does Not Increase Pregnancy Chance, But Cost s More

Multiple embryos are often created during IVF treatment. T he laboratory must then determine which embryo offers the greatest ch ance of pregnancy. Normally, embryos are removed from the incubator d aily for this purpose to be examined under a microscope. This can dis rupt the culture conditions.Increasingly, IVF laboratories are using so-called time-lapse incubators: incubators with built-in cameras tha t continuously monitor the development of embryos. As a result, embry os no longer need to be removed from their stable environment. Using computer algorithms or artificial intelligence, these images are anal yzed to select an embryo. For a long time, it was thought that this t echnique would increase the chance of pregnancy, but evidence for thi s was lacking.This PhD research shows that this expectation is incorr ect. Continuously monitoring embryos with a camera and culturing them in a time-lapse incubator does not lead to a higher chance of pregna ncy within one year. Nor do patients get pregnant faster than with st andard treatment. The method is safe for mother and child, but it ent ails additional costs. The findings are important because innovations in fertility care are sometimes introduced before it is clear whethe r they actually work better. High expectations and hype play a role i n this. Hospitals invest heavily in this type of technology, while th ose investments do not always lead to better results for patients. Th is research underscores how important it is to thoroughly investigate and critically evaluate new technologies before they are widely adop ted. Only in this way can unnecessary costs be avoided and care remai n affordable in the future.More information on the thesis END:VEVENT END:VCALENDAR