For Human Clinical

In order for an embryo to implant in the uterine lining, the inner embryo (blastocyst) must “hatch” from its protective outer shell (the zona pellucida). Assisted hatching is a technique in which the zona pellucida of an embryo is purposely weakened or cut to help the embryo hatch more easily and promote implantation.

There are three methods of assisted hatching: mechanical, chemical, and laser-assisted. With mechanical methods, an incision or hole is made in the zona pellucida using a tool such as a microsurgical knife or a special glass needle. The chemical method directs a stream of acidic hatching solution against outer shell to digest a portion of the zona pellucida. Laser-assisted hatching (LAH) uses a highly focused laser beam to remove the zona pellucida in very precise increments.

The most commonly used indications for use of assisted hatching are:

The risks of assisting hatching using the laser are similar to the risks when using chemical or mechanical methods. These risks include possible damage / destruction to the embryo and a possible increased chance of monozygotic (identical) twinning.

Laser-assisted hatching may require less embryo handling than other assisted hatching methods. Also, laser-assisted hatching may be faster than other methods and therefore the embryo may spend less time outside of the incubator.