ASSISTED HATCHING DOES NOT ENHANCE IVF SUCCESS IN GOOD-PROGNOSIS PATIENTS

Purpose: The role of assisted hatching in good-prognosis IVF patients was evaluated in a prospective, randomized, controlled pilot study, wh ich was followed by a retrospective observational series. Methods: Aft er assisted hatching was proved successful in a mouse embryo study, 20 good-prognosis IVF patients were randomly assigned to either assisted hatching (13) or no assisted hatching (7; the controls). Following th is series, 27 good-prognosis IVF patients were retrospectively evaluat ed to determine the outcome with assisted hatching. Results: In the pr ospective study, clinical pregnancies resulted from 3 (23%) of 13 pati ents in the hatching group, compared to 3 (43%) of 7 in the control gr oup. Implantation rates were similar: 9.6% in the hatching group and 1 0.7% in the controls, In the retrospective series, the 11.1% implantat ion rate with assisted hatching was significantly less than the 42.9% implantation rate seen with traditional IVF. Conclusions: Implantation and pregnancy rates are high in young women undergoing traditional IV F. Assisted hatching is not beneficial in these patients.