A large, multicentre randomised controlled study concluded there is insufficient evidence to support the use of time-lapse incubators in improving live birth rates.
The study by researchers in China, included 1224 patients, half of who were randomly assigned to time-lapse incubation and the other half to culture in standard incubators. Following day 3 embryo transfer, the implantation rate from the first embryo transfer was analysed along with the cumulative implantation rate and live birth rates.
The implantation rate following the first embryo transfer was found to be significantly increased in the time-lapse incubation group, although the cumulative implantation rate and live birth rates revealed no differences between time-lapse incubation and standard incubation.
Reference: Xiao-Dong Zhang, Qi Zhang, Wei Han, Wei-Wei Liu, Xiao-Li Shen, Gui-Dong Yao, Sen-Lin Shi, Lin-Li Hu, Shan-Shan Wang, Jun-Xia Wang, Jian-Jun Zhou, Wei-Wei Kang, Heng- De Zhang, Chen Luo, Qi Yu, Rui-Zhi Liu, Ying-Pu Sun, Hai-Xiang Sun, Xiao-Hong Wang, Song Quan, Guo-Ning Huang, ‘Comparison of embryo implantation potential between time-lapse incubators and standard incubators: A randomized controlled study’, Reproductive BioMedicine Online, 2022
