Combined Artificial Collapse and Assisted Hatching Increase the Success Rate in Frozen Embryo Transfer

Abstract

Human embryo cryopreservation is a contemporary procedure, widely used  in assisted reproductive technology. It is of exceptional importance to assess all existing methods for improving embryo survival rate and increasing pregnancy and live birth rates. In the present study we examine the effects of artificial collapse on the survival rate of vitrified blastocysts and the impact of assisted hatching on the clinical pregnancy rate when frozen embryo transfer is performed. In addition we provide statistically significant data demonstrating the beneficial effect of combination of these procedures on the success rate for pregnancy after frozen embryo transfer. Embryologists might benefit from the approaches presented in this study in order to improve assisted reproductive technology outcomes.