Assisted Hatching

Prior to implanting in the uterus, the embryo must emerge from its covering in a process called hatching. In some women, the membrane seems to harden, particularly as they age. This can interfere with the hatching process. In these cases, the hatching may be assisted by thinning the embryo membrane with a dilute acidic solution or laser prior to embryo transfer. It may increase the chance of pregnancy in older women or those who have not achieved pregnancy after several IVF cycles. Assisted hatching may also be done in some cases following cryopreservation and embryo thawing.