The disclosure relates to methods and systems for detecting the orientation of an oocyte and its polar body. Examples include an automated method for detection of an orientation of an oocyte, the method including: i) acquiring an image of the oocyte; ii) defining first and second elliptical features in the image based on edges detected in the image; iii) calculating an orientation of the second elliptical feature relative to the first elliptical feature; and iv) outputting a relative orientation of a polar body of the oocyte based on the orientation of the second elliptical feature relative to the first elliptical feature.