New technology could give couples a greater chance of starting a family through IVF.
The Hull IVF Unit at the Women and Children's Hospital has started offering new time-lapse embryo imaging software to couples who have suffered three or four failed IVF attempts.
The camera technology means embryos can be closely monitored, without the need to disturb them, and is being offered at no extra cost.
Principal embryologist Christine Leary said: "Each time you do an observation, you are potentially disturbing the embryos, because you have to lift them out and put the dish under a microscope.
"The camera allows us to take constant images and we can see those pictures without disturbing the dish.
"We can see what is happening and select which ones will be most suitable for transfer.
"We've been using the camera for a while for research purposes alongside Hull York Medical School and we've now started using it for patients who have had repeated failures at getting pregnant."
Cameras vary in price but the type used at the Hull IVF Unit cost about £10,000.
For this reason, couples are usually charged an additional £800 at other clinics in order to benefit from the software.
But, in Hull, there is no extra charge, as funds have been donated to the Hull IVF Charitable Trust.
Ms Leary hopes the technology will improve the outcomes for couples who have struggled to get pregnant.
She said: "In Hull, we already have a good success rate, with about 45 per cent achieving a pregnancy.
"With this technology, we still need the conditions to be right, but it will improve our selection process.
"It won't make a difference in which embryos are good and which ones aren't, but we can make more informed decisions when we make a transfer.
"We're not saying it is the revolutionary cure-all – we're cautious, but hopeful."
At the moment, the unit only has one camera and can only offer it to couples who have suffered a few failed attempts at pregnancy.
But it is hoped, if it becomes successful, more can be bought in the future.
Ms Leary said: "The pictures and time-lapse videos we get from the camera are very useful for other things, too.
"We can use them in training, so we aren't just scribbling a picture of what we are looking for."
