Assisted hatching

Assisted hatching

The success of IVF depends on a number of factors, and the last stage is the implantation of embryo. In order to implant into the uterine lining, an embryo has to hatched out of the zona pellucida, a glycoprotein layer surrounding the egg.

Implantation failure may be linked to an inability of the embryo to hatch. A hatched embryo enables a direct contact with the endometrial lining, allowing it to be implanted.

Assisted hatching can be performed mechanically or chemically to create a small hole in the zona pellucida. This can improve the implantation rates for couples with embryos that may not be able to complete the hatching process, such as thick zona pellucida.