The shell around a woman’s egg is called the zona pellucida. The zona can vary in thickness. As a woman ages or if she has bad egg quality, the zona can be too thick for the embryo to hatch out of it and implant. The process of assisted hatching, is a procedure in which the laser is used to thin out a small area in the zona pellucida and enable the embryo to hatch out and implant into the uterine lining.
Studies have shown that the process of assisted hatching increases pregnancy rates. Since we use a laser and not acid to perform this procedure, the risks of damage to the embryo from this procedure are quite minimal. Our highly experienced embryology staff is able to discern which patients may benefit from assisted hatching. This procedure is included in our cash IVF pricing, so if it is performed there are no extra charges