Assisted hatching is a good option for couples experiencing poor IVF outcomes or who have been diagnosed with a poor fertility prognosis. The procedure offers them a better chance for conception. It is a technique where an embryo is fertilized outside the womb via IVF and the zona pellucida or outer coating of an embryo is partially opened so as to assist the embryo to escape or hatch from the zona and improve implantation and pregnancy rates.
Sometimes IVF may not lead to positive results because of genetic abnormalities of embryos and abnormalities of the zona pellucida which may impair embryonic hatching.
Assisted hatching helps in overcoming these conditions.
Assisted hatching is recommended in case of advanced maternal age, for those who have had a number of unsuccessful embryo transfers and where embryos have increased zona thickness.
How Assisted Hatching is Performed
Assisted hatching is a very delicate procedure and can be performed only by a skilled micromanipulator or an embryologist. The embryo is held with a specialized holding pipette and a very delicate, hollow needle is used to expel an acidic solution against the outer shell or zona pellucida of the embryo. A small hole is made in the shell by the acidic solution and the embryo is then washed and put back in the incubator. Shortly afterwards, the embryo transfer procedure is initiated. This procedure may be accomplished chemically, mechanically, or with a laser.
Risks Associated with Assisted Hatching
Those opting for assisted hatching should be made aware of some of the risks associated with this procedure:
• A small risk exists of damage to the embryo during the micromanipulation process or at the time of transfer
• Risk of identical twins and in rare cases Siamese twins
• A greater chance of fetal complications
• It does add extra laboratory manipulation and therefore added costs
East Bay Fertility Center offers several IVF techniques, including assisted hatching in select appropriate cases. The Center assesses the possible benefits of assisted hatching before finalizing the process as part of a treatment plan. The patient is made aware of the risks and benefits of the procedure and consent must be given for an embryologist to use assisted hatching. Under the guidance of Dr. Ellen U. Snowden, Medical Director and Reproductive Endocrinologist, medical staff at East Bay provides dedicated treatment for infertility and reproductive endocrine issues.
For couples who have attempted assisted reproductive procedures many times and for women, whose time is running out because of their age, assisted hatching offers hope of realizing their dreams of becoming parents.
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