Artificial Intelligence Better Than Medical Experts At Choosing Viable IVF Embryos – IFLScience

The future of baby-making is set to be very different from the one we have now. Just last week, a researcher boldly claimed that growing embryos in a laboratory setting will become far more commonplace, and will allow us to remove genetic diseases from the equation before the baby is born.

Now, during the annual meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology in Geneva, scientists have given us yet another peek into the future of conception. In a groundbreaking new study, a team of embryologists was pitted against an artificial intelligence (AI) during simulated in vitro fertilization (IVF) selection process and the AI appeared to be better at selecting viable embryos.

During IVF, an egg is removed from the hopeful mothers ovaries and fertilized with the potential fathers sperm in a laboratory setting. This fertilized egg is then implanted in the womans womb and allowed to develop normally.

Its used for those with fertility problems, and currently has variable rates of success. Sometimes, the embryos fail for a variety of reasons, and experts are trained to look out for defects that may trigger a failed pregnancy. Between 30 to 60 percent of seemingly viable embryos fail to implant in the uterus.

This new study a collaborative effort between So Paulo State University and Londons Boston Place Clinic decided to pit experts against an AI designed to do their jobs for them. Using bovine embryos, the AI was given a chance to train itself to look for viable embryos and highlight defective ones.

Both the AI and a team of embryologists were then given 48 examples of bovine embryos to look at, and had a chance to observe them three times over.

Using just 24 key characteristics, such as morphology, texture, and the quantity and quality of the cells present, the AI was able to pick viable embryos 76 percent of the time. Although the accuracy value for the embryologists was not given, it was said to be lower; importantly, unlike the AI, the embryologists found it difficult getting a consensus on the quality of the embryos.

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Artificial Intelligence Better Than Medical Experts At Choosing Viable IVF Embryos - IFLScience