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Assisted
Hatching is a process whereby a low energy laser beam is used to
create a thinning in part of the Zona Pellucida (the outermost membrane
that surrounds an embryo). The purpose of Assisted Hatching is to
allow the embryo to hatch more easily from its 'shell'. Hatching
must occur in all pregnancies, whether naturally occurring or as
a result of In-Vitro Fertilization to enable embryos to implant
in the lining of the uterus.
The
process of Assisted Hatching may be helpful in cases where a woman's
eggs have a thicker than normal Zona Pellucida, in older women (over
38 years of age) when the Zona Pellucida may harden, in women who
have experienced repeated In-Vitro Fertilization failures, or when
using thawed frozen embryos.
Damage
to the embryo resulting in its failure to develop is a potential
risk of Assisted Hatching. This
complication is rare.
To
our knowledge, there is no reported increase in congenital, physical
or genetic abnormalities in children born following the use of Assisted
Hatching, compared with the normal and expected incidence in maternal
age-matched naturally conceived pregnancies.
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