Hyderabad’s Nova IVF Fertility introduces Artificial Intelligence in IVF Labs

Team L&M

Nova IVF Fertility, Banjara Hills Hyderabad has introduced Artificial Intelligence in their IVF lab to select the best embryo, thereby enhancing pregnancy outcome. The tool called Vita Embryo, as per global studies, indicate that pregnancy outcome improved by 12%.  Currently Nova has implemented Artificial Intelligence in IVF labs across its centers in Banjara Hills and Kukatpally.

Selecting the best embryo is done by embryologists in IVF labs. AI acts as a double-checking mechanism on every embryo. It sees subtle indicators that may be missed by the human eye, enhancing precision.

Fertility Issues Rising

Says Dr Hima Deepthi, Clinical Director and Fertility Specialist, Nova IVF Fertility, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, “With rising infertility issues, at least every 1 in 4 couples experiencing, there is a need to improve accuracy in fertility treatments. We have integrated Artificial Intelligence (AI) in our IVF labs for embryo selection. Once our embryologists analyse an embryo, they will be run past the AI as a double-checking mechanism to analyse embryo growth patterns and quality more precisely than the human eye, helping lab scientists(embryologists) choose embryos with the best chances of pregnancy. At Nova IVF Fertility, 90% of  the IVF cycles we use the couple’s own eggs and sperm, hence we are working towards improving the accuracy in embryo selection.

Use of technology and medical advancements in treatments like IVF can bring in more transparency and trust to the patients. Fertility Specialists observe that at least 30% of the couples ask  if their own eggs and sperm are being used. The fertility chain uses Electronic Witnessing Systems, an advancement that helps to track for all gametes and embryos. Electronic Witnessing system is a secure ID card for embryos, each sample gets a unique barcode or chip, and the system double-checks it before any procedure. If something doesn’t match, it alerts the embryologists at the IVF lab immediately. Further, it provides real-time monitoring of every gamete at every process in the lab.

Changes observed in couples facing  infertility issues

Fertility specialists at Nova IVF Hyderabad report a shift in patient demographics, with advanced maternal age becoming a primary indication for IVF treatment. Unlike earlier, couples came in for fertility treatment mainly due to medical conditions like endometriosis or blocked tubes. Further, an increasing number of couples now are recommended ART due to age-related and lifestyle-related fertility decline.

Dr. Durga Vytla, Senior Fertility Specialist, Nova IVF Fertility, Banjara Hills, Hyderabad, says, “We’re witnessing women in their late 30s and early 40s facing fertility issues due to natural age-related decline in egg quality and quantity. Male infertility contributes to 30-40% of fertility cases. This maybe due to factors such as stress, lifestyle habits, and increased steroid use. In female infertility, PCOS is affecting 25-30% of female patients. Further, endometriosis and low ovarian reserve in women as young as late 20s, indicates a need for earlier intervention.”

“Couples must look at fertility health proactively and not delay treatments, as age is important for fertility treatments. But awareness in fertility health has improved now and. Also, we are observing increasing queries in egg freezing and receive at least 50-100 queries a year. Egg freezing queries come from unmarried women like entrepreneurs and those working in IT, Healthcare, Media and Entertainment. Egg Freezing can also be opted for in some cases due to medical conditions such as cancer, Endometriosis etc,” she adds.