Assisted Hatching
At the Bliss IVF clinic, assisted hatching is used in IVF treatments to assist in the hatching and implantation of embryos. A fertilized embryo is surrounded by a shell known as the zona pellucida. During a successful pregnancy, the egg must hatch, break free from the zona pellucida, and attach to the uterus.
Assisted hatching is usually performed on the third day of embryo development. Embryologists use a laser to create a very small hole in the zona pellucida. It is possible to help hatch embryos that have been frozen and thawed.
During assisted hatching, an embryologist thins or weakens the membrane surrounding the fertilized egg. Puncturing the zona pellucida increases the chances of the embryo hatching and implanting.
The thinning of the uterine zone begins when the embryo reaches the blastocyst stage of development. Blastocyst contraction and expansion accelerate the thinning process by changing the zona's elasticity. The zone tears when it becomes thin enough, allowing the embryo to hatch.
Implanting an embryo that does not hatch is impossible. Human blastocysts naturally hatch near the inner cell mass, according to several studies. The assisted hatching technique uses observations of successful natural hatching to increase the chances of successful IVF implantation.
For women over the age of 37 or who have had an unsuccessful IVF cycle before, assisted hatching may be beneficial, although it is not recommended for all patients.
Twins born through assisted hatching have a higher risk of being identical. Assisted hatching can cause very little injury to embryos.