What is assisted hatching?
Assisted hatching — also known as AH or eclosión asistida in Spanish — is an assisted reproduction technique performed in the laboratory. It involves creating a small artificial opening in the zona pellucida (the protective outer shell surrounding the embryo) to help the embryo hatch and, therefore, implant in the endometrium (uterine lining).
When is assisted hatching recommended?
Assisted hatching is especially recommended in the following cases:
- Embryos with a thick zona pellucida, which makes natural hatching more difficult.
- Patients with previous implantation failures.
- Embryos from women over 37, whose zona pellucida may be harder for the embryo to break through.
