CAN YOU HELP EXPLAIN !!

MARTEEN · Post by **MARTEEN** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 7:04 pm

Hi Girls Have been reading your messages. I have a couple of questions, can anybondy help explain what they mean. I have been reading on some messages abou "hatching" what does this mean?? Also "Blastocyst" please can you explain this too. What does AF mean? I have been trying to work this out all week, sorry if I seem dim. Thank you, good luck to you all Love Marteen xx

Lorraine · Post by **Lorraine** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 7:37 pm

Hello Marteen Easy question first - AF - is Aunt Flo - meaning your period - flo/flow get it????? Took me a while too! I have sent you a bit of a message I posted for Jayne about the same subject. We have just had our 3rd -ve IVF cycle and had wanted to try assisted hatch - but unfortunately we only had one grade 1 embryo and two other poorer embryos - so never had it in the end. We met with our embryologist prior to commencing the cycle - we talked about blastocyst and assisted hatch. THERE ARE NICE EASY EXPLANATIONS ON THIS SITE UNDER THE IVF AND ICSI SUB HEADING - ABOVE - in the green and white banner. In a nut shell by delaying embryo transfer until day 5 or 6, embryos are monitored until they achieve the Blastocyst stage (more developed embryo with more than 100 cells) The theory is that should the embryo survive to this stage it has a better chance of implanting (50%). Assisted Hatch is where a small nick is made in the outer layer of the embryo to enable it to escape more easily and thus hopefully improve implantation. The embryologist told us there has been some good evidence/figures to support blastocyst and assisted hatch - espescially the latter in older women. Although some centres report NO difference with assisted hatch. It was a difficult decision and very confusing, with blastocyst I worried that keeping the embryo longer in culture rather than in the uterus would mean I could end up sacrificing good embryos (as they might not make it to blastocyst stage) and end up with nothing to transfer back - also there is some evidence that the culture medium can harden the zona pellicuda (outside layer) - therefore making hatching and implantation more difficult hence the need for assisted hatch - so I personally didnt see why I would want to keep the embryo in the culture medium for even longer??!!. I also worried about potential damage with assisted hatch - but felt some comfort that this was the same risk as ICSI - and we had thought we might need that - so had kind of resolved those concerns already. There are several techiques in achieving assisted hatch basically needle, chemical and laser - laser is by far the more superior - but not all clinics offer this as the equipment is hugely expensive (ours didn't). Before embarking on it you would need to find out what technique is used, and how often the technique is used at your clinic and what results they get. There is a criteria as to who can have AH including age - over 38, high baseline FSH, 3 or more repeated ET with no implantation, thicker than average zona noted by embryologist. Anyway as I said we deceided on assisted hatch - but felt we would NOT take any risk if we only had one good embryo for transfer. On the day of ET we met with another embryologist (ours was on holiday) and he said under the circumstances he would not undertake AH with only one good embryo - so after all the careful balancing of the pro's and cons we didn't have it! But that is something you have to think about, if you are undertaking another cycle - it may not actually end up being an option - yet another thing to consider! There ends the lecture! Anyway I hope some of that is helpful. With love from Lorraine xxxx

MARTEEN · Post by **MARTEEN** » Tue Jul 22, 2003 8:53 pm

Hi Lorraine Thank you so much for your kind reply. Its was most helpful and very detailed. I am due to start ICSI on Friday, and it is great to keep up with all these new/different procedures. I have learnt so much from this sight it is amazing. I can't thank you enough. I hope is going well with you. Take Care Marteen