Assisted Hatching ("AH")

Assisted Hatching ("AH") is a micromanipulation technique in which the shell around the egg (the zona pellucida) is opened or thinned to facilitate the embryo hatching process. AH involves drilling the zona using an acid solution to partially thin an area of the zona and, in some cases, create a small hole all the way through the zona. Several studies have reported the beneficial effects of AH in terms of higher pregnancy rates.

East Bay Fertility Center is selective when choosing whether or not to use assisted hatching. AH is not performed in all cases and is most usually recommended when one or more of the following criteria is present:

1. advanced maternal age (>38 years)
2. elevated basal FSH levels
3. embryos that have uniform thick zona layers (>15 mm)
4. a previous failed IVF cycle
5. all frozen embryos