Assisted laser hatching is an advanced form of IVF Treatment which can be beneficial in certain subset of couples undergoing IVF. As the name implies the treatment involves the use of laser to drill a hole in the outer protective shell of the embryo (called the zona pellucida). This procedure is done just prior to the embryo transfer. Drilling the hole weakens the zona and facilitates the embryo implantation, therby enhancing the success rates after IVF Treatment.
Prior to laser certain chemical and mechanical means of assisted hatching were used. But the use of laser allows the removal of zona with exact precision. Also, Laser-assisted hatching requires less handling of the embryo than these other assisted hatching methods. Additionally, laser-assisted hatching is faster than the other methods and, therefore, the embryo spends less time outside the incubator.
Indications for Laser Assisted Hatching in IVF are:

• Repeated IVF failures
• Embryos with Thick zona
• Advanced female age
• Couples with Repeated Implantation failures in IVF