title: Effect of prefreeze assisted hatching on postthaw survival of mouse embryos.
abstract: Embryos that underwent assisted hatching before freezing had a statistically significant higher survival rate and blastocyst formation rate compared with controls. Therefore, breaching the integrity of the zona pellucida and directly exposing the embryos to cryoprotectants not only does not result in damaging the embryos but might also afford them an advantage as they go through the freeze-thaw cycle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Center for Human Reproduction, North Shore University Hospital, New York University School of Medicine, Manhasset, New York, USA. hershlag@nshs.edu
authors.forename: Avner
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hershlag
authors.forename: Huai L
authors.initials: HL
authors.lastname: Feng
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology*; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods*; D003451:Cryoprotective Agents; D047108:Embryonic Development; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains; D011247:Pregnancy; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D015044:Zona Pellucida / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D003451:Cryoprotective Agents