Assisted Hatching
This involves the use of mechanical or chemical thinning of the zona pellucida (outer shell) of the embryo. It is believed this outer shell becomes thicker and hardened with the aging of the oocyte. Assisted hatching is performed before transfer and may be beneficial for women older than 38, for women with thicker zona pellucidas, or for a couple with poor quality embryos. Assisted hatching may also be utilized for couples that have failed to achieve pregnancy after multiple IVF attempts.