Real-world study shows measurable gains compared to standard lab practices.

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Embryologist Fatigue, Human Error: IVF Labs Turn to Time-lapse Technology

A patient waits for personalized attention, but there aren’t enough embryologists to go around. An embryologist moves a petri dish with the inherent mishandling risk leading to potential embryo loss. These are not outliers—they’re recurring challenges in fertility labs where the stakes are high and the margin for error is razor thin.

Embryologists, often trained on the job and coming from diverse scientific backgrounds, operate under immense pressure. They’re expected to perform consistently with extreme precision while navigating inconsistent training standards and limited resources. The result is a system vulnerable to burnout, bias, and inefficiencies that can affect patient outcomes.

Dr. Sheela Ali, Scientific Director of IVF Andrology and Embryology Laboratories, says the field needs standardized protocols and streamlined workflows—especially as more clinics face staffing shortages. Her work focuses on optimizing lab quality and transitioning toward automation to meet growing demand.

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Inefficiencies and Risky Handling: Embryology’s Operational Hurdles

The physical handling of embryos carries inherent risk. “Traditional incubators require removal of the dish for handling and grading,” Ali notes, exposing embryos to unstable temperatures and increasing the chance of contamination—or worse, accidental loss. “We’ve seen losses just from dropping dishes.”

The need for precision is critical, yet embryologists are stretched thin, working long hours with limited time for quality control, process improvement, or training in new technologies. “Due to time limitations, those aren’t getting the attention they truly need or deserve,” Ali says.

7 Hours Saved Per Day: Time-lapse Technology in Action

One major innovation aiming to solve these problems is Guided Annotation ™ through time-lapse technology, which was developed using AI and assists with embryo grading by supporting consistent and efficient annotations. EmbryoScope, the incubator used in this process, captures frequent images and recommends timing of developmental events and morphology assessments. Embryologists can review and either accept or override the system’s recommendations.

This is more than a tech upgrade—it’s changing workflows. At the University of California San Francisco (UCSF), researchers found the EmbryoScope reduced daily embryologist procedure time by seven hours, from 41.6 to 34.6 hours. For high-volume labs, this efficiency is critical.

Improved Blastulation and Usable Embryo Rates: 56.2% vs. 52.2% and 42.4% vs. 37.4%1

Clinical results are also promising. A study from Canadian researcher Dr. Simon Phillips compared EmbryoScope to two benchtop incubators and found significantly higher blastulation rates (56.2% vs. 52.2%) and usable blastocyst rates (42.4% vs. 37.4%).

Ali finds these real-world results compelling. “It can translate to a reduction in the number of stimulation cycles per live birth and increase cumulative pregnancy rates,” she says. Importantly, this was not a tightly controlled clinical trial—it was implemented in an active, working lab.

Why the Method Works: Stability, Visibility, and Standardization

EmbryoScope creates a more stable environment: embryos remain undisturbed in the incubator, with automated monitoring of temperature, pH, and gas levels. This consistency minimizes external stress on embryos and lowers contamination and handling risks.

The imaging also allows embryologists to examine embryos in greater depth. “It helps us examine more views and more in-depth views,” Ali says, compared to static embryo evaluation.

From 10 to 8 Hours: Meeting the Embryologist Shortage

With EmbryoScope, embryologists are seeing more manageable schedules, dropping from 10-hour to 8-hour shifts in some cases. Ali says this has immediate implications for work-life balance and lab morale. “We’re able to do more with less time, cycle more patients through, and keep the quality of care at an excellent [standard],” she says.

The efficiency gains also free up time for professional development, such as learning new automation skills, refining lab protocols, and focusing on quality management—areas that have often been sidelined due to time constraints.

3,000 Cycles Per Year: Scaling Across High-Volume Programs

UCSF, which performs about 3,000 IVF cycles annually, has transitioned entirely to EmbryoScope. Ali says this demonstrates the technology’s scalability—not just for boutique clinics or high-paying patients, but across large, high-throughput programs.

She believes the next step is proving this success on a broader scale. A planned multi-site study will collect six to eight months of pregnancy outcome data from diverse labs across the U.S. If successful, it could validate the method’s applicability industry-wide.

A Future of Fewer Errors and More Families Helped

Time-lapse technology is far from a silver bullet, but it’s a meaningful shift for an industry under pressure. With tools like EmbryoScope helping to reduce risk, standardize procedures, and ease the burden on overstretched professionals, fertility labs may finally be able to deliver both better outcomes and a better work environment.

As Ali puts it, “This gives everyone a tool that is more cost-effective, economical, and easy to track.”