New IVF Treatment Brought To North East

The chances of getting pregnant through IVF in the North East are higher than ever thanks to a new treatment.

Its hoped the  new technology will help couples increase their chances to conceive by 50%. 

The method continuously monitors embryo development and is being brought to the QE Hospital in Gateshead from April.

It incorporates the use of new "Embryoscope" incubators equipped with time lapse imaging - which provides digital images of embryos every 15 minutes.

It can also pinpoint precise timings when key developmental milestones occur, making it easier to identify healthier embryos that have the best chance of implantation and reduce the risk of miscarriage.

The new incubators have been installed in the IVF laboratory and will become fully operational for all patients by next month. 

Mr Ian Aird, consultant gynaecologist and clinical lead for fertility services at QE Gateshead said;  

"We are delighted to be the first unit in the North East to be able to offer the benefits of time lapse embryology and data analysis to all our patients undergoing IVF. The Embryoscope gives us the opportunity to do continuous imaging and closely monitor an embryo's development. This means that we can select healthier embryos, increasing our pregnancy rates even further and help more couples who are having fertility problems to have the family they yearn for."