AI that predicts pregnancy outcomes from embryo images in IVF correlates with features of genetic abnormality
AI Healthcare company Presagen, in collaboration with Ovation Fertility (USA), presented a poster of a recent study of Life Whisperer Viability at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) 2021 Scientific Congress, June 2021.
Life Whisperer Viability uses computer vision and AI to assess images of IVF patients’ embryos to predict whether they are likely to lead to a pregnancy. The aim of the study was to assess whether the AI, which was trained on images with linked pregnancy outcomes, also correlated with the genetic integrity of the embryo. It is known that the genetic integrity of embryos is one factor influencing successful pregnancy.
The study confirmed Life Whisperer Viability does in fact correlate with the genetic integrity of embryos including specific genetic characteristics indicative of severity when considering embryos for transfer during IVF. The study was conducted on a retrospective dataset of 5,469 embryos images from 2,615 consecutive patients treated at five US IVF clinics between February 2015 and April 2020. Life Whisperer Viability prediction was compared to the outcome of invasive pre-implantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) tests, which measures whether the embryo is genetically normal (‘euploid’) or not (‘aneuploid’).
Results showed a significant correlation between the Life Whisperer Viability AI score and PGT-A outcome, consistent with a relationship between genetic integrity and pregnancy outcome . Despite this correlation, the AI was only weakly predictive of genetic integrity. This suggests pregnancy-related morphological features are somewhat, but not completely, correlated with embryo genetics.
Results of the study motivated the development of Life Whisperer Genetics, an AI trained using images with linked PGT-A outcomes for the specific purpose of non-invasively evaluating the genetic integrity of embryos. Life Whisperer Genetics provides a non-invasive assessment in a matter of seconds, with a high likelihood that the top-ranked embryos are genetically normal (‘euploid’). Life Whisperer Genetics is now available for sale in over two-thirds of the world’s IVF market.
The combination of Life Whisperer Viability and Life Whisperer Genetics assessments provides a powerful measure of embryo quality and has the potential to significantly improve embryo selection based on viability and genetic integrity, to improve pregnancy outcomes for IVF patients.
Presagen
Presagen is an AI healthcare company that is changing the way clinics, patients, and medical data from around the world are connected through AI. Its platform, The Social Network for Healthcare, connects clinics and patients globally, and enables collaboration and data sharing to create scalable AI healthcare products that are affordable and accessible for all. The decentralized network democratizes the creation of AI products, promotes collaboration through incentives, and protects data privacy and ownership. With a focus on improving Women’s Health outcomes globally, Presagen’s first product, Life Whisperer, is being used by IVF clinics globally to improve pregnancy outcomes for couples struggling with fertility. With a vision of creating the largest network of clinics, patients, and medical data from around the world, Presagen is driving the future of AI Enhanced Healthcare.
Life Whisperer
Life Whisperer is a world-leader in the application of AI in IVF. The Life Whisperer Viability and Genetics AI-based embryo assessment tools are the first to be commercialized in a series of applications that encompass the complete IVF journey. Life Whisperer aims to improve IVF success rates at every point and, as a result, reduce time-to-pregnancy, making IVF more affordable and accessible to patients globally. Life Whisperer is being used in IVF clinics around the world.