Fresh Embryos, AI Selection, and Personalized Plans: What's New in Fertility Care for 2025

Fertility treatments are experiencing a technological revolution in 2025, with artificial intelligence (AI) now selecting embryos with unprecedented precision, fresh embryo transfers showing superior results for certain patients, and fully automated procedures producing successful pregnancies. These advances are making fertility care more personalized and effective than ever before.

How Are Fresh Embryos Changing Success Rates?

A groundbreaking study published in The BMJ found that women with low prognosis for in vitro fertilization (IVF) success achieved significantly better outcomes with fresh embryo transfers compared to frozen ones. The research showed that 40% of women who received fresh embryos had a live birth, compared to 32% in the frozen embryo group.

This finding is particularly important for women with fewer eggs or lower hormone levels, who typically face reduced IVF success rates. Fresh embryo transfers also demonstrated slightly higher rates of clinical pregnancy and lower pregnancy loss, while other outcomes like complications or birth weights remained similar between groups.

What Role Is AI Playing in Embryo Selection?

Artificial intelligence is transforming how fertility specialists select the most viable embryos for transfer. AI-assisted embryo selection has been shown to increase the chances of achieving a positive pregnancy outcome by as much as 20%. Machine learning models can now accurately predict implantation success based solely on embryo characteristics, eliminating much of the guesswork in treatment decisions.

The technology reached a historic milestone on April 10, 2025, when the first baby was born using a fully automated, AI-controlled intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) system. The system automates all 23 steps of ICSI, including sperm selection and injection, with precision beyond human ability.

How Are Personalized Treatment Plans Improving Outcomes?

Fertility care in 2025 is becoming increasingly tailored to individual patients through genetic profiling and customized treatment protocols. These personalized approaches are addressing the unique needs of each patient, from their age to their medical history.

Key innovations in personalized fertility care include:

• Genetic Profiling: Clinicians can now customize treatment plans based on an individual's unique genetic makeup, predicting how patients might respond to particular medications and protocols
• Advanced Preimplantation Testing: The latest generation of preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) technology is more comprehensive and accurate, identifying chromosomal abnormalities with greater sensitivity than previous methods
• Solution-Focused Therapy: A study published in PLOS One found that solution-focused approach (SFA) sessions during IVF treatment helped reduce anxiety and depression while improving sleep and quality of life for women aged 35 and older

"The growing workload can lead to burnout, as embryologists are pressured to be extremely accurate," said Lisa Wagner, PhD, an embryologist with Cooper Surgical, highlighting the importance of technological support in modern fertility labs.

What New Technologies Are Emerging?

Beyond AI and personalized medicine, several cutting-edge technologies are reshaping fertility treatment. The FDA granted clearance for a phase 3 trial of Fertilo, marking the first US-based phase 3 trial for a therapy using induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). This treatment is designed to mature eggs outside the body using lab-grown ovarian support cells, reducing the need for high-dose hormone injections by 80%.

Cryopreservation technologies are also rapidly evolving, with recent breakthroughs in the vitrification process significantly enhancing survival rates of eggs and embryos after thawing. These improvements in flash-freezing techniques prevent ice crystal formation, offering women more security about delaying childbearing.

Robotic-assisted procedures are increasing the accuracy of surgical techniques, allowing most women to resume regular activities within days rather than weeks. Time-lapse imaging is enabling embryologists to monitor embryo development with unprecedented precision, helping practitioners select the most viable embryos for transfer and leading to higher implantation rates.