Assisted zona hatching (AZH) is a procedure of assisted reproductive technology in which a small hole is made in the zona pellucida, using a micromanipulation, thereby facilitating for zona hatching to occur.^[1].^[1]. Zona hatching is where the blastocyst gets rid of the surrounding zona pellucida to be able to implant in the uterus.

Efficacy

A systematic review and meta-analysis came to the result that assisted zona hatching is related to increased rates of clinical pregnancy and multiple pregnancy in women with previous repeated failure or frozen-thawed embryos.^[2] However, it is unlikely to increase clinical pregnancy rates when performed in fresh embryos transferred to unselected women, to those without poor prognosis or to women of advanced maternal age.^[2]

References

1. ↑ ^{a b}
2. ↑ ^{a b}