CHAMGAP
APPROVEDReviewed and approved by the Chamgap Editorial Team (2026-08-07). The draft was written by AI, the existence of all 2 cited sources was verified at the original page, and the verdict passed blind grading and adversarial audit. Methodology v0.7.
Verdict No. 2384 · Search date 2026-08-07 · Methodology v0.7

Time-lapse embryo selection,
does it really help with Increased live birth after IVF or ICSI?

30-Second Summary
D
Evidence Grade D · 34 · Safety acceptable
The large primary live-birth trial found no benefit, but its interval left some benefit possible
Serious adverse events did not differ materially and were judged unrelated to the trial. Cost and laboratory workflow remain separate considerations.
What the
research shows
The grade is D with 34 points. Live birth was TILT's prespecified primary outcome. Rates were 175/520 (33.7%) with time-lapse selection versus 172/522 (33.0%) with standard care, adjusted OR 1.04 (97.5% CI 0.73 to 1.47), absolute difference 0.7 points (-5.85 to 7.25).
What the
ads claim
Undisturbed culture and more images are real workflow properties, but they did not establish more live births per woman.
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Useful facts when choosing a product

  • Time-lapse systems repeatedly image embryos without removal from the incubator.
  • Live birth was TILT's primary outcome.
  • Control was conventional incubation plus routine morphology.
  • The protocol disclosed £3,000 from Pharmasure for consumables; free equipment was not confirmed.
Gap Measurement · Verdict 2384 · D 34
What advertising claims
What independent, higher-quality research supports
△ GAP
01

What the research actually shows

TILT randomized 525 participants to each of three groups. Live birth was 33.7% with time-lapse selection, 36.6% with undisturbed time-lapse culture plus conventional morphology, and 33.0% with standard care. Funding came from Barts Charity, Pharmasure Pharmaceuticals, Hong Kong OG Trust Fund, Hong Kong Health and Medical Research Fund, and Hong Kong Matching Fund. The protocol states Pharmasure contributed £3,000 toward consumables and had no role. Sites used CE-marked systems of their choice; free manufacturer equipment was not identified in the accessible report.

02

Why this is classified as D (34)

A large null primary live-birth trial still allowed potential benefit and exact repeated precise refutation was not established, giving D with 34 points.

Counterpoint. Laboratory stability and live birth are different claims.

Rejudgment record. Cross-check applied — TILT's primary live-birth outcome was null, but earlier null studies often used different primary outcomes and no validated benefit threshold supported precise refutation

Scoring profile behind this grade
EndpointHHard endpoint - actual events such as death
ReplicationR1Single confirmatory trial
IndependenceI1Mixed funding sources
Effect sizeE0Null
PrecisionC0The confidence interval leaves room for benefit

The scoring table and the verdict agree (D).

Sub-claim grades by effect

This ingredient is marketed for several effects. A single overall grade blends strong and weak claims together, so each effect is graded separately here. The overall grade reflects the strongest disconfirming or core claim.

Effect (sub-claim)GradeBasis
Increased live birthDRates were 33.7% versus 33.0%.
Undisturbed incubationBThis is a real physical workflow property.

Cross-check — Codex and Claude

This verdict was drafted by Codex through literature review and source-existence checks, cross-checked through blind grading and adversarial audit, and settled by reapplying the methodology boundary rules. Cases with split grades were resolved through rejudgment.
03

Evidence Table

StudyDesignSampleFundingEndpointResultWeight
Study 1Three-arm multicenter double-masked randomized trial522Barts Charity, Pharmasure Pharmaceuticals, and Hong Kong charitable/public fundsLive birth; primary175/520 (33.7%) versus 172/522 (33.0%); OR 1.04 (97.5% CI 0.73 to 1.47)Pivotal live-birth trial
Study 2Systematic review of randomized time-lapse trials826Academic Cochrane reviewLive birth or ongoing pregnancyOR 0.91 (0.67 to 1.23)Earlier null but imprecise evidence
§

Receipt — 2 References

All 2 cited sources were verified for existence at the original page (as of 2026-08-07).

Bhide P, et al. Clinical effectiveness and safety of time-lapse imaging systems for embryo incubation and selection in IVF treatment (TILT). Lancet. 2024;404(10449):256-265. PMID: 39033010. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(24)00816-X.
checked
Armstrong S, Bhide P, Jordan V, Pacey A, Marjoribanks J, Farquhar C. Time-lapse systems for embryo incubation and assessment in assisted reproduction. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2019;5:CD011320. PMID: 31140578. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD011320.pub4.
checked
Draft and rewrite: Codex (AI) · Verification: Codex blind grading and adversarial audit · Final adjudication: Claude
Reviewed and approved: Chamgap Editorial Team · Approval date: 2026-08-07 · Corrections: none

Cite this verdict

Time-lapse embryo selection x live birth after IVF Evidence Grade D card
[Chamgap] Time-lapse embryo selection x live birth after IVF — Evidence Grade D·34. 2 cited sources checked. Source: https://chamgap.com/en/verdicts/womens/time-lapse-embryo-selection-ivf-live-birth/ · CC BY 4.0

CC BY 4.0 — free to use with attribution; do not distort grades, numbers, or verdict meaning.

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What this document does and does not do

Chamgap is an information source. It reports what research has and has not confirmed; it does not tell readers what to take or buy. That decision belongs to readers and, when needed, medical or legal professionals. This verdict reflects literature available up to the search date and may change as new research appears. Nothing here is medical advice.