Could AI and 3D Embryo Imaging Improve IVF Embryo Selection?
For many Intended Parents, embryo selection is one of the most hopeful and emotionally complex parts of in vitro fertilization, or IVF. A fertility clinic may have several embryos available, but which embryo has the strongest potential to continue developing?
New research from the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology, known as KAIST, is exploring a possible answer. Scientists combined time lapse monitoring, three dimensional imaging, and artificial intelligence to study living embryos without adding dyes or fluorescent labels. Their goal is to identify measurable patterns that may help predict embryo development earlier and more objectively.
The early findings are promising, but they require context. The published research involved mouse embryos, not human embryo transfers, and it did not show that the technology improves pregnancy or live birth rates in people. For Intended Parents pursuing IVF, egg donation, or surrogacy, this is best understood as an important research development rather than a treatment proven to increase IVF success today.
The key takeaway
KAIST researchers demonstrated that label free 3D imaging can capture detailed changes inside living mouse embryos and that machine learning can use some of those measurements to predict blastocyst development. This could support more objective embryo assessment in the future. It has not yet been proven to improve human IVF outcomes.
Why embryo assessment matters in IVF and surrogacy
During IVF, eggs are fertilized in a laboratory and the resulting embryos are monitored as they develop. Embryologists evaluate factors such as cell number, appearance, division patterns, and developmental timing. These observations help the medical team decide which embryo may be appropriate for transfer or cryopreservation.
This step also matters in a gestational surrogacy journey. Before an embryo is transferred to a Surrogate, the Intended Parents and their fertility specialists must make decisions about embryo creation, testing, storage, and transfer. Better information about embryo development could eventually help clinics make those decisions with greater consistency.
However, embryo selection is only one part of IVF. Embryo quality does not guarantee implantation, pregnancy, or live birth. Maternal factors, laboratory conditions, uterine factors, genetics, and other medical considerations can also affect the outcome.
What is holotomography?
Holotomography is a label free imaging method that creates three dimensional images by measuring how light refracts as it passes through a cell. Different structures within a cell have different refractive properties, allowing researchers to examine internal organization without staining the cell or adding fluorescent markers.
In the KAIST research, holotomography was used to observe living oocytes and embryos over time. This allowed the team to measure subtle structural changes while keeping the cells intact. KAIST described the approach as a way to move beyond conventional two dimensional visual assessment toward more quantitative three dimensional analysis. The work received the Basic Science Award for poster presentation at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, or ESHRE. (KAIST, ESHRE)
What did the new embryo imaging study find?
The peer reviewed study, published in Communications Biology on September 16, 2026, followed mouse embryos from the two cell stage through blastocyst development using time lapse holotomography.
Researchers found measurable differences between embryos that formed blastocysts and those that stopped developing. Embryos that reached the blastocyst stage showed features including higher blastomere counts, lower variation among cells, and more compact nuclear organization. The research team then used machine learning to test whether these measurements could help predict later development. In one analysis, the model achieved an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve, or AUC, of up to 0.963. (Communications Biology)
That result suggests the measurements contained useful predictive information within the study dataset. It does not mean the tool is 96.3 percent accurate in every clinic, nor does it establish that the method improves pregnancy or live birth rates.
Can AI improve embryo selection?
AI may help embryologists analyze large amounts of imaging data, recognize patterns, and apply assessment criteria more consistently. In the future, it could become another source of information used alongside an embryologist's expertise, medical history, genetic testing when appropriate, and the clinic's established protocols.
Still, AI embryo selection remains an evolving area. The American Society for Reproductive Medicine, or ASRM, states that AI tools used in IVF laboratories require careful external validation and prospective study. ASRM also notes that evidence of improved clinical outcomes remains limited. In the largest randomized trial discussed in its 2026 committee opinion, AI assisted embryo selection did not demonstrate superior clinical pregnancy rates compared with standard assessment. (ASRM)
The most responsible interpretation is that AI may improve measurement and workflow, but clinical value must be demonstrated with outcomes that matter to patients, including implantation, pregnancy, live birth, safety, time to pregnancy, and cost.
Does 3D embryo imaging improve IVF success rates?
Not yet, based on the evidence currently available.
The KAIST study showed early prediction of blastocyst formation in mouse embryos. Blastocyst development is an important laboratory milestone, but it is not the same as implantation, pregnancy, or live birth in humans. Human validation studies are still needed before clinics can know whether this approach improves outcomes for patients.
KAIST has reported that validation work involving human oocytes is underway. Until larger human studies and prospective clinical trials are completed, Intended Parents should be cautious about any claim that 3D embryo imaging can guarantee or significantly increase IVF success. (KAIST)
What could this technology change in the future?
If future human studies confirm that holotomography is accurate, safe, and clinically useful, it may offer several potential benefits:
More objective measurements of embryo structure
Three dimensional information that is not visible in standard two dimensional images
Continuous observation of development without fluorescent labels
Greater consistency when comparing embryos
Additional data to support, rather than replace, trained embryologists
The most likely role would be as a decision support tool. Fertility care involves biology, medical judgment, patient preferences, and ethical considerations that cannot be reduced to a single score.
Is holotomography available at fertility clinics now?
The KAIST approach should still be considered an emerging research technology, not a standard IVF service. Availability may vary, and a clinic offering an imaging or AI tool may be using a different system with different evidence.
If a fertility clinic discusses AI assisted embryo selection, ask for the name of the tool, what outcome it predicts, whether it has been independently validated, and whether it has been tested in patients similar to you. It is also reasonable to ask whether the service carries an additional fee and how much weight the medical team gives its recommendation.
Questions Intended Parents can ask their IVF clinic
You do not need to become an imaging expert to have an informed conversation. Consider asking:
How does your laboratory currently assess and grade embryos?
Do you use time lapse imaging, AI, or another embryo assessment technology?
What does the tool predict: blastocyst development, implantation, pregnancy, or live birth?
Has it been validated using patients and embryos from your own laboratory?
Does a trained embryologist review every recommendation?
How does the tool affect the final embryo transfer decision?
Is there an additional cost, and is there evidence that it improves patient outcomes?
What are the limitations or uncertainties of the technology?
Clear answers can help you distinguish a useful clinical tool from a promising technology that is still being studied.
What this research means for Intended Parents considering surrogacy
Scientific advances in embryo assessment can feel especially relevant when a family has already invested significant time, emotion, and resources in IVF or gestational surrogacy. The possibility of learning more from each embryo without damaging it is encouraging.
At the same time, no imaging system can promise a successful transfer or eliminate uncertainty. Decisions about embryo creation, testing, selection, and transfer should be made with a qualified reproductive endocrinologist and embryology team. A surrogacy agency can coordinate the many people and steps involved in a journey, but it should not replace individualized medical advice.
ACRC Surrogacy supports Intended Parents in the United States and internationally with surrogacy coordination, Egg Donor and Sperm Donor services, and fertility journey support. Our team helps families understand the process, prepare for the next step, and coordinate with independent medical and legal professionals.
Ready to explore your family building options?
Every path to parenthood is different. If you are considering gestational surrogacy, egg donation, sperm donation, or IVF support, the ACRC Surrogacy team is ready to listen and help you understand what comes next.
Book a free consultation with ACRC Surrogacy to discuss your goals and receive personalized guidance for your family building journey.
Frequently asked questions
What is holotomography in IVF research?
Holotomography is a label free imaging method that uses changes in the refraction of light to create quantitative three dimensional images of living cells. Researchers are studying whether it can reveal useful information about oocyte and embryo development without dyes or fluorescent markers.
How are embryos normally assessed during IVF?
Embryologists commonly assess embryo appearance, cell number, division patterns, developmental timing, and other laboratory features. Some clinics also use time lapse imaging, genetic testing when medically appropriate, or AI based tools. Practices vary by clinic and patient circumstances.
Can AI predict whether an embryo will develop?
AI can identify patterns associated with embryo development in research datasets. The KAIST led mouse embryo study showed strong predictive performance for blastocyst formation within its dataset. That does not establish that AI can reliably predict implantation, pregnancy, or live birth for every patient.
Does 3D embryo imaging improve IVF success?
There is not yet enough human clinical evidence to conclude that 3D embryo imaging improves pregnancy or live birth rates. The current KAIST study involved mouse embryos, and human validation is still needed.
Is AI based embryo selection available in fertility clinics?
Some fertility clinics use AI or advanced imaging tools, but systems, evidence, costs, and clinical practices differ. The specific KAIST holotomography approach remains an emerging technology. Ask your clinic exactly which tool it uses and what evidence supports it.
What should Intended Parents ask before paying for an IVF add on?
Ask what outcome the service is designed to improve, whether it has been tested in people like you, whether it improves pregnancy or live birth rates, what limitations are known, how a clinician reviews the result, and what the total cost will be.
Medical and legal disclaimer
This article is for general educational and informational purposes only. It does not constitute medical, legal, mental health, financial, or fertility treatment advice, and it should not be used to diagnose a condition or choose a treatment. Research discussed here includes preclinical work in mouse embryos and should not be interpreted as proof of improved pregnancy or live birth outcomes in humans. ACRC Surrogacy is not a fertility clinic or law firm and does not make medical decisions or guarantee IVF, pregnancy, surrogacy, or live birth outcomes. Intended Parents, Surrogates, and Donors should consult appropriately licensed physicians, embryologists, attorneys, and other independent professionals about their individual circumstances. Services and legal options vary by location and are subject to applicable laws, regulations, medical eligibility, and professional guidance.
References
Lee C, et al. “Label free three dimensional subcellular phenotyping of mouse embryos by holotomography enables early prediction of blastocyst formation.” Communications Biology. Published September 16, 2026. Read the peer reviewed study. DOI: 10.1038/s42003-026-10856-y.
Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology. “KAIST's advanced oocyte and embryo analysis technology to improve IVF success recognized at leading global conference.” Published July 21, 2026. Read the KAIST announcement.
European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology. “ESHRE 2026 Awards.” View the official award listing.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine Practice Committee. “Artificial intelligence in the in vitro fertilization laboratory: a committee opinion.” 2026. Read the ASRM committee opinion.
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