Fertility Decoded

Assisted hatching

Thinning or making a hole in the embryo's shell to 'help' it implant.

Written by Fertility Decoded. Reviewed by D R, MS (OBG), FRM. Review date: 31 August 2026.

The verdict

Not shown to improve your chance of a baby.

Who are these bodies?

HFEA
— UK fertility regulator; rates add-ons by evidence (traffic-light).
ESHRE
— European fertility society; evidence-based practice guidance.
NICE
— UK health-guidance body; what the NHS will and won't fund.
ISAR
— Indian Society for Assisted Reproduction; Indian expert consensus.
Cochrane
— Independent global reviewers of the underlying studies.

  • HFEA

    UK regulator

    Grey — insufficient evidence — chance of a baby
    Source

  • ESHRE

    European society

    Not recommended (research only)

    Not recommended — no live-birth benefit shown; possible increased monozygotic-twinning risk.

    Source

  • NICE

    UK NHS guidance

    Do not offer

    NG257 1.49.1: do not offer assisted hatching, because it has not been shown to improve pregnancy rates.

    Source

  • ISAR

    Indian society

    No robust evidence; India data needed

    No robust evidence of an increase in live birth (across frozen embryos/blastocysts, thick zona, advanced age, RIF, poor-quality embryos); calls for India-specific data collection.

    Source

  • Cochrane

    Evidence base

    2021 review (39 RCTs): no clear evidence of improved live birth.

Typical cost in India

Laser assisted hatching ~₹15,000–25,000 (seen ₹14,000–45,000).

Sources

Take this further

Sources last reviewed .