What is Laser Assisted Hatching?
Couples may face difficulty and frustration after IVF and ICSI treatments due to failure of successful implantation of healthy looking embryos into the womb. Prior to implantation, the embryo has to come 
out of its protective shell known as the zona pellucida. This process, known as hatching, if not properly
completed, can result in a failure in implantation. To overcome this hurdle, Makhija IVF Centre offers laser technology for assisted embryo hatching. This is a simple, safe and precise technique, highly useful in cases of advanced maternal age, in women with thick zona and in women with repeated IVF failures.
In general, the embryos are transferred back into the womb on the second or third day, when they are in the 4 cell or 8 cell stage. Once they are placed back into the womb, they keep on growing till day 5 (5 days after oocyte retrieval). At this time the embryos are multicellular, and differentiated into an inner cell mass and an outer cover called the Trophectoderm. This embryo is called a Blastocyst. The Blastocyst starts expanding and cracks open the cover of the zona, and escapes out. This process is known as 'Hatching'.
In Assisted Hatching, a cut is given to the zona, when the embryos are at 4 cell (day 2) or 6-8 cell (day 3) stage. These embryos are placed back into the womb. The cut also called Assisted Hatching, weakens the zona, and helps in the hatching process. This in turn results in better pregnancy rates. Many babies have been born all over the world, following the introduction of this technique.
Laser Assisted Hatching Process
» A shell called zona pellucida surrounds the unfertilised egg. The zona has an important role in fertilization as it allows only one sperm to penetrate the zona and enter the egg to achieve fertilization
After fertilization of the egg, during the cleavage stage of an embryo, zona pellucida hardens. This development is normal and the purpose is to keep the cells in the egg together
» The embryos have to "hatch" or break out of the zona in order to embed into the endometrium lining of the uterine cavity. This occurs about 2-3 days after embryo transfer when the embryo is at the blastocyst stage. Naturally this takes place by expanding / contracting of the zona until it distorts, allowing the blastocyst to "hatch"
» When sperm and eggs are cultured in IVF laboratory, the zona pellucida hardens at much faster rate than in a natural cycle, making it more difficult for the embryo to implant
Prior to implantation, the embryo has to escape out of its zona pellucida by a process known as hatching. If this process is not completed properly, implantation failure occurs and a pregnancy cannot be achieved
» Assisted hatching is the process of creating a hole in zona pellucida, to aid the embryo in the hatching process
We offer the Laser technology for Assisted Hatching (LAH), where a precision laser beam is focused over » the zona pellucida making a small opening, between 10-20 microns to facilitate embryo hatching. LAH is done just before the Embryo Transfer
» This improves implantation and helps increase the Pregnancy rates
» A Fast, Safe & Simple method compared to the old method of hatching, which used an acidic medium (expelled onto the zona to create a small hole)
» The accuracy of the laser is predetermined by its programming, and is therefore not dependent on the skill of the operator. There is a high degree of reproducible accuracy
» We also recommend that thawed embryos should be treated with Laser Assisted Hatching before Embryo Transfer to maximize success rates
Which Patients benefit from Assisted Hatching?
The following group of patients are usually selected for the technique of Assisted Hatching:
» Women patients usually between 35-38 years of age
» Patients in whom the zona thickness is more than 15 microns
» Patients who have had more than one attempt at IVF/ICSI and have failed to become pregnant
» Patients who have their extra embryos frozen. The frozen thawed embryos are hatched before embryo transfer
Laser Hatching is simple to perform, easy, accurate, and reproducible and any embryologist can perform it. Hence, it is the preferred method of choice.