Background: Assisted hatching techniques are utilized to facilitate the embryo escape out of the zona pellucida and increase the pregnancy rates in IVF centers. The objective of this study was to evaluate if assisted hatching improved the rates of pregnancy for in-vitro fertilization, in Isfahan Infertility Center.

Materials and methods: This case-control study was carried out on 296 infertile patients. Patients with assisted hatching were 131 (case group) and non-treated patients were 165 (control group). Patients’ age, number of oocytes aspirated, number of oocytes fertilized, and numbers of embryos transferred were matched. The pregnancy was determined by positive β -HCG, 14 days after transfer and implantation was defined as presence of gestational sac in uterus on sonography. Statistical analysis was done with the student t-test and χ ² test. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant.

Results: No significant difference was noted in the mean age of patients, the number of oocytes aspirated, the number of oocytes fertilized, and the number of embryos transferred between the case and control groups. In addition, no significant difference was observed in the rates of pregnancy between the hatched and control groups (22.9% versus 20.6%, respectively).

Conclusion: Assisted hatching has no significant impact on pregnancy rates in the patients population studied. Further data are needed to determine if assisted hatching has beneficial effect on pregnancy rate.