Assisted Hatching

Embryos are surrounded by a shell called Zona pellucida. In the course of normal embryonic development the embryo hatches out of this shell to implant into the endometrium of the uterus. One reason for the unfulfilled wish of a baby can be the hardening of the Zona that can be caused by the increased age of the mother or the previous cryopreservation of the oocytes or embryos. The natural hatching process can be supported by a method called assisted hatching. There are several possibilities to open the embryonic shell slightly (chemically, mechanically or with a laser) and by that enable the embryo to leave its shell.