Will the introduction of automated ART laboratory systems render the majority of embryologists redundant?

Abstract

IVF techniques have changed over time with the aim of improving clinical results. Today, embryology is facing a change common to most areas of medicine, the introduction of automation. The use of automated systems in the IVF laboratory is already happening, for example, with electronic witnessing and the ranking of embryos according to their implantation potential. It is expected that in the near future, various systems in the IVF laboratory will be automated. In this way, gamete manipulation would cease to be manual and embryo culture and selection would be performed by means of microfluidics and artificial intelligence. Therefore, the tasks of the embryologist will inevitably be reduced. However, new functions related to data capture, management and analysis will emerge, along with other research skills and increased communication with other professionals and patients.