Morphokinetics

Abstract

Morphokinetics in IVF refers to the study of embryo development and quality based on the observation of their changing morphology over time. It involves closely monitoring the embryo’s cell division patterns, size, and other features using time-lapse imaging technology. While morphokinetics has shown promise in improving embryo selection based on morphological grading and provides novel kinetic parameters, it also remains surrounded by controversy. The debate on the use of time-lapse includes factors such as ethical concerns, cost and time, over selection of embryos, misinterpretation of data, and limited evidence. It is argued that there is a lack of strong scientific evidence demonstrating the superiority of morphokinetics over traditional methods of embryo development which includes grading of the embryos using a standardized grading system. The debate has been prolonged by the fact that studies show conflicting results, leading to questions about its reliability. Moreover, there are also ethical concerns about the time-lapse technology. There has been a long-standing discussion in ART regarding the use of add-ons in a treatment cycle. Time-lapse is often offered as an add-on in some clinics. This raises questions about accessibility, financial burden, risk of giving false hope to the patients, as well as distraction from the core treatment. In conclusion, the debate regarding the use of morphokinetics in the form of time-lapse imaging remains unsettled mainly due to conflicting data. The controversy will only be resolved as more information will come to light and studies will show concrete evidence of improved ART results credited to the use of morphokinetics.