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The eggs that are fertilised are identified by the presence of pronuclei on Day 1. These embryos are cultured further to Day 3 when the outside zona pellucida is then breached using a low power laser.
A small hole is created in the zona pellucida on day 3 (6-8 cell stage) using a near infra-red laser. Zona breaching promotes the hatching of a blastocyst on day 5 or day 6.
Watch the assisted hatching video
The embryo naturally expands to form a blastocyst - a hollow ball of cells (trophectoderm) with a clump of cells on the inside (inner cell mass). The expanding blastocyst tears the outer zona and hatches.
The assisted hatching on Day 3 allows this natural process to occur a little earlier.
Hatching embryos are held with gentle suction and, using a small glass biopsy pipette, 3-6 trophectoderm cells are removed with the assistance a near infra-red laser. The biopsied cells are then ready for analysis and the embryo is frozen for future use.
Watch the embryo biopsy video - day 5 hatching blastocyst
Watch the embryo biopsy video - day 6 fully hatched blastocyst