What Is Laser Assisted Hatching?
The embryo produced in the fertilization procedure is covered and protected for the first few days is called the zona pellucida. The Zona Pellucida is a glycoprotein layer enclosed in the plasma membrane of mammalian oocytes. The phenomenon by which the blastocyst or the embryo comes out of the zona pellucida is called hatching and is a crucial event for successful reproduction. For its development, an embryo must attach itself to the inner lining of the uterus. For that to happen, hatching must first take place. The zona pellucida also ensures that only one sperm enters the egg to fertilize it. Moreover, it keeps the cells of the embryo together.
Sometimes it happens that the egg shell or the zona pellucida hardens due to which it becomes difficult for the embryo to hatch and attach to the uterus. Internal factors like age, Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) diagnosis and treatment, modifications in the hormonal levels and external factors like the IVF culture environment are the possible reasons for the abnormal hardening of the shell, making hatching difficult. Apart from that, because of some in vitro culture conditions, the secretion of zona lysin which helps in hatching gets affected. Due to this, the zonapellucida hardens.
To help the embryo to hatch out of the egg in case there is some difficulty in hatching, some techniques are used. These methods are called assisted hatching techniques. In assisted hatching, the zona pellucida is artificially breached or thinned to help in the hatching process. This procedure helps in overcoming the internal or external barriers in the ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) fertilization methods. Assisted hatching also improves the hatching rates of embryos thereby increasing the chances of pregnancy.
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