What Is Assisted Hatching?

Achieving conception is only the first step in becoming parents, and it doesn't guarantee a baby. One in four known pregnancies ends in miscarriage, and there are many other pregnancies which stop before the mother even realises she was pregnant. Human reproduction is a fragile and delicate thing which can go wrong at any time.

After conception has taken place, the embryo first has to 'hatch' out of a gel like substance known as zona pellucida before it can implant into the lining of the womb. While this substance is vital and a part of the egg (it allows only 1 sperm to penetrate at fertilisation), it outlives its usefulness and breaks down.

Sometimes, however, the zona pellucida is abnormally thick, preventing the embryo from hatching out. This means the embryo cannot implant into the womb and a miscarriage occurs. This medical problem is called 'implantation failure' and is more commonly experienced by older women, although it can happen in any age group.

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