Predicting the outcomes of in vitro fertilization programs using neural networks
Portnov I.G., Lisovskaya T.V., Rezaikin A.V., Mayasina E.N., Salimov D.F., Ivanov A.V., Gzgzyan A.M., Levin V.A.
Background. The aim of any cycle of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment is the birth a healthy child. In this context, the development and use of mathematical models based on artificial neural networks in reproductive medicine are of particular importance, as they enable the prediction of program outcomes.
Objective. To improve the effectiveness of in vitro fertilization (IVF) programs by using predictive data based on neural networks.
Materials and methods. There were three interrelated predictive mathematical models describing the main stages of the IVF protocol: controlled ovarian stimulation and follicular aspiration, fertilization and embryo culture, and embryo transfer into the uterine cavity. Each of them was implemented as an artificial neural network with a specified architecture and was pre-trained on a training dataset comprising data from 5,200 IVF protocols. The training of neural networks was carried out using the Python programming language and standard libraries, in the form of a program for a personal computer.
Results. The analysis of the effectiveness of controlled ovarian stimulation revealed a statistically significant increase in the number of cycles with 6 to 19 oocytes retrieved when using the predictive model (114/152 (75.0%) cycles) compared with the control group (93/152 (61.19%) cycles, p=0.033). The analysis of the criterion variable for the second stage revealed differences between the groups when comparing the number of cycles in the first category (zero embryos obtained), the second category (one to two good-quality embryos) and the third category (three or more good-quality embryos). The differences between the groups in the number of embryos suitable for transfer into the uterine cavity were statistically significant, p=0.032. The analysis of the criterion variable for stage 3 revealed that pregnancy occurred in 70 out of 152 (46.05%) cases, compared with 53 out of 152 (34.76%) in the control group, p=0.047. The clinical case of infertility treatment using assisted reproductive technology (ART) is presented as an example of the application of the developed mathematical model based on neural networks; this demonstrated rather high accuracy in predicting the outcomes of each stage of the IVF protocol: 85.6%, 82.9% and 71.2% respectively.
Conclusion. Choosing the protocol for each stage of the IVF program based on the predicted outcomes, using artificial neural networks, makes it possible to adjust the treatment during the course of the program or to discontinue it in proper time.
Authors’ contributions. Portnov I.G., Rezaikin A.V. – developing the general concept; Lisovskaya T.V., Rezaikin A.V. – developing the study design; Ivanov A.V., Mayasina E.N., Gzgzyan A.M. – collecting and processing the material; Rezaikin A.V. – developing a neural network model; Salimov D.F., Rezaikin A.V. – statistical data analysis; Lisovskaya T.V. – writing the text; Levin V.A. – editing the article.
Conflicts of interest. The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest.
Funding. No funding from external organizations or public funds was used in preparing this article.
Ethical Approval. The clinical study protocol was approved by the local ethics committee of Clinical Institute of Reproductive Medicine (Protocol No. 09 dated 15 December 2024).
Generative Artificial Intelligence. Artificial intelligence was not used in preparing and submitting the manuscript.
Patient Consent for Publication. The patients signed informed consent for the publication of their data.
Authors' Data Sharing Statement. The data supporting the findings of this study are available on request from the corresponding author after approval from the principal investigator.
For citation: Portnov I.G., Lisovskaya T.V., Rezaikin A.V., Mayasina E.N., Salimov D.F., Ivanov A.V., Gzgzyan A.M., Levin V.A. Predicting the outcomes of in vitro fertilization programs using neural networks.
Akusherstvo i Ginekologiya/Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2026; (7): 160-169 (in Russian)
https://dx.doi.org/10.18565/aig.2026.198
Keywords
References
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Received 23.06.2026
Accepted 10.07.2026
About the Authors
Igor G. Portnov, PhD, General Director, Clinical Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Yekaterinburg, Russia, info@Kirm.clinicTatiana V. Lisovskaya, Dr. Med. Sci., Associate Professor, Deputy Director General for Scientific, Organizational, and Methodological Work, Clinical Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Yekaterinburg, Russia, tv.lis@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9747-9323
Alexey V. Rezaikin, PhD, Associate Professor, Department of Medical Physics and Digital Technologies, Ural State Medical University, Ministry of Health of Russia, Yekaterinburg, Russia, alexrez@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8665-5299
Andrey V. Ivanov, obstetrician-gynecologist, reproductologist, Head of the Assisted Reproductive Technologies Department, City Mariinsky Hospital, St. Petersburg, Russia, dr.ivanovav@gmail.com
Elena N. Mayasina, PhD, Deputy General Director for Medical Unit, Clinical Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Yekaterinburg, Russia, elena.mayasina@gmail.com,
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3387-819X
Daniil F. Salimov, PhD, embryologist, Deputy General Director for Laboratory Work, Clinical Institute of Reproductive Medicine, Yekaterinburg, Russia, fsalimov@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2972-494Х
Alexander M. Gzgzyan, Dr. Med. Sci., Professor, Professor at the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, St. Petersburg State University,
St. Petersburg, Russia; Medical Director, SKYFERT LLC, St. Petersburg, Russia, agzgzyan@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3917-9493
Vitaly A. Levin, endocrinologist, specialist in health management and public health, Ornament Health AG, Lucerne, Switzerland, vitalylevin0205@gmail.com,
https://orcid.org/0009-0000-8758-0842



