Nowadays, infertility has become a common concern among couples. This is why most of the infertile couples are relying upon IVF to attain a healthy pregnancy. However, before you opt for an IVF cycle you must know that even after the successful transfer of a healthy embryo the pregnancy may fail. This mostly happens due to hatching and implantation failure of the embryo.
Laser Hatching

If you’ve experienced multiple IVF failures and the doctor doesn’t know the proper reasons then you may be recommended to undergo laser hatching. Laser-assisted hatching is one of the most advanced techniques used during an IVF cycle which reduces the risks of implantation failure and increases the chances of successful pregnancy.

When Is It Done?

It is not always essential that the doctor will recommend you laser hatching while undergoing the IVF cycle. The infertility specialist will first check your infertility history and medical records before including laser hatching along with the IVF procedures. Some of the factors when assisted hatching can be used to improve pregnancy success rates are:

  • Unexplained Fertility
  • Advanced Maternal Age, Where the Woman is 35 Years or Older
  • Poor Quality of the Embryo
  • Diminished Ovarian Reserve
  • Increased Levels of FSH
  • Have a History of Two or More IVF Failures
  • Using Frozen Eggs for IVF

In most of these scenarios, the woman has a thick outer shell or zona pellucida of the eggs which makes it difficult to hatch and implant. This is why laser-assisted hatching is done to make the hatching process easier.

Procedural Details

Laser hatching is a small and advanced procedure which requires only two steps during the IVF cycle. Before starting the assisted hatching steps, the doctor will retrieve the fresh or cryopreserved eggs from the women. After fertilizing the eggs with a healthy sperm, the following steps of hatching will be performed:

Light Pulsing

The hatching process will be performed on all the selected embryos. Firstly, the embryos will be selected individually and then a single embryo will be circled with light to determine the area where the laser light needs to be given. Then the laser light will start pulsing the circled area to dissolve the thick embryonic shell. A delicate approach is required to perform this process to ensure that no other cells of the embryo are damaged.

Implantation

After hatching of all the embryos, two healthy embryos will be selected by the doctor. Then the embryos will be placed inside the uterus with the help of a catheter for further implantation. Within a few days, the embryo will start implanting for a successful pregnancy.

Why Choose Laser Hatching?

The main reason why you must consider laser-assisted hatching is that it enables the blastocyst to hatch quickly without compromising its quality.

Attain the benefits of cryopreserved embryos

Cryopreservation is a modern technique in the realm of infertility treatments. You can reap the benefits of the frozen embryos by properly thawing them while using laser hatching.

Implantation Potential

As compared to traditional methods for thawing, laser hatching can lead to better quality blastocysts and stimulate successful implantation.

Advantages

Laser hatching is a modern technique which offers a wide array of advantages. This procedure is proven to be superior and more accurate as compared to other assisted hatching techniques such as manual and chemical.

  • Enhances the Effectiveness of ICSI and IVF Treatments
  • Increases the Chances of Successful Pregnancy
  • Takes a Few Seconds for the Completion of the Entire Procedure
  • The Entire Procedure is Safe and Accurate With Low Human Error
  • Minimal Damage to the Embryo
  • Precise Control While Drilling the Outer Shell of the Embryo
  • Lower Rate of Side Effects or Associated Complications

Associated Risks

Increased Chances of Twins

The chances of having a monozygotic twin are higher in laser-assisted hatching since more than one healthy embryos are transferred during the process to increase the success rates.

Embryo Damage

If the laser hatching is not performed delicately, then it can cause significant damage to the embryo which can stop further implantation.

Interferes With Natural hatching Process

The natural hatching process of the embryo is interfered with during assisted hatching which may stop the embryo from fully hatching.

Reduced Embryo Viability

The embryo viability can be reduced slightly which may make it difficult for the embryo to invade the endometrial tissues.