This is a procedure which is done just before embryo transfer (putting embryos into uterine cavity) to increase the implantation rates.
The procedure helps in attaining earlier contact between the embryo and the receptive endometrium. The artificial opening produced by hatching may also serve as a channel for the exchange of metabolites and growth factors to and from the endometrium. In this system laser beam is delivered through the objective and one can open zona with a single laser pulse in a few milliseconds duration.
We are routinely doing assisted laser hatching for all our cases specially in cases of previous IVF failures. Patients with thick zona (outer wall of embryo) specially get benefited with the procedure. WE were the first unit in India to start Assisted Laser Hatching in 1998. All our IVF centres have this technology.