Assisted Hatching

Assisted hatching is a procedure during which a small hole is made in the outer coat of an egg using micromanipulation or laser technology prior to transferring the embryo in the uterus. The small hole made in the egg coat (zona pellucida) increases the chances of the predecessor of the embryo (blastocyst) hatching out of the zona pellucida and implanting in the uterus. The procedure is commonly performed mechanically or by laser.

Assisted hatching is recommended to women in the following cases:

• Repeated embryo implantation failure;
• Embryos with thick zona pellucida;
• Age 35 and older;
• Poor ovarian reserve ascertained by hormonal profile;
• Less than 5 oocytes retrieved during stimulated cycle;
• Prolonged cultivation until blastocyst stage.