Figure 1.

Different pre-vitrification interventions for blastocysts. A. Assisted hatching: An opening is created in the zona using laser pulse B. Needle blastocoele puncture: A needle is passed through the zona and blastocoele and retracted allowing the blastocelic fluid to freely leak. C. Laser blastocoele puncture: laser pulse creates an opening in the zona and a small defect in the trophectoderm causing the blastocoele to leak. D. Blastocoele aspiration: An injection needle is introduced into the blastocoele and blastocoelic volume is sucked out. E. Micropipetting: Passing the blastocysts through a narrow pipette would crack the zona and compress the blastocoele to leak through the cracked zona.