Virtual Reality Technology Used to Analyze Embryonic Development
Researchers from The Netherlands have used state-of-the-art imaging technology, including 3D ultrasound and virtual reality techniques, to create 3D holograms of embryos in pregnancies that end in miscarriage, as well as those in pregnancies that result in live births. Their findings, published in the journal Human Reproduction, show that embryos in pregnancies that end in a miscarriage take longer to develop than those that progress to a healthy birth.
Embryos in Miscarriages Takes Longer to Develop
The researchers collected data from women taking part in the ongoing Rotterdam Periconception Cohort (PREDICT) study. Embryo morphology, the ability to see the embryo in 3D, is important to study the internal and external characteristics and measurements of an embryo. The use of 3D ultrasound and virtual reality technology could prepare patients for an early adverse pregnancy outcome, possibly allowing them to obtain supportive care in case of an adverse outcome.
The Carnegie stages of embryonic development cover the first ten weeks of gestation. Compared to an ongoing pregnancy, a pregnancy ending in a miscarriage was associated with a lower Carnegie stage which means the embryo would reach the final stage four days later than an embryo from a pregnancy that resulted in a healthy baby. After the tenth week, fetal growth and birth weight were used to assess development. A pregnancy ending in a miscarriage was linked to a shorter crown-rump length and smaller embryonic volume compared to a healthy pregnancy.
Virtual Reality Technology Improves Embryonic Imaging
The use of virtual reality technology could dramatically improve imaging of embryos through vaginal ultrasound scans for better detection of slowed development otherwise not observable by conventional techniques. The team used 3D imaging through virtual reality headsets to magnify the size of the embryo and analyze the images in detail. If confirmed in larger studies, this discovery could be used by doctors to advise people whether their embryo is developing normally.
Prediction of Early Miscarriage
Embryo maturity was assessed using the Carnegie staging system, which showed a delayed development of four days in embryos that later resulted in miscarriage. Over half of all pregnancies end up in miscarriages, which causes anxiety in individuals who experience it. The reason why embryos that develop slowly may end up in miscarriage is still unknown, although having alterations or different numbers of chromosomes has been previously associated with miscarriage cases.
Late-tracking embryos don’t necessarily mean a miscarriage is inevitable. However, this study provides a high-tech way to predict which pregnancies are more likely to end in miscarriage and which ones are not. For the study, the researchers tracked embryo development with 3D ultrasound imaging and virtual reality technology for 644 pregnant women from seven to 10 weeks after conception. Of these, 33 pregnancies ended in miscarriage. The new findings held even after researchers controlled for other factors that could affect the risk of miscarriage.
Virtual Reality Imaging Could Be Reassuring or Cause More Anxiety
The use of virtual reality imaging could either reassure or cause more anxiety to people who have previously experienced a miscarriage. Nonetheless, the ability to assess the shape and development of embryos could be used to estimate the likelihood of a pregnancy continuing to the delivery of a healthy baby. This new technology provides hope for better detection of problematic situations before it’s too late since early identification would enable clinicians to provide preventive care and counseling earlier on in gestation.
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