Laser assisted hatching

The oocyte is surrounded by a shell, which we call the ‘zona pellucida’. This ensures that only one sperm cell can enter the oocyte, fertilising it. After fertilisation, the zona pellucida holds the embryo’s cells together.

‘Hatching’ is the moment when the embryo crawls out of the zona pellucida ‘out of the shell’ in order to implant in the uterus.

In some women, especially those over 37, the zona pellucida is said to be harder than in young women. This would make it harder for the embryo to detach from this shell.

In assisted hatching, the oocyte’s zona pellucida is thinned or opened with a fine laser beam to make it easier for the embryo to crawl out of this shell.