Common Assisted Reproductive Technologies
Advanced Infertility Treatment Options for Childless Couples
May 25, 2009
For many infertile couples, the solution of becoming pregnant lies in assisted reproductive technologies (ART), which have been used in the United States since 1981 to help women become pregnant.
Data from the National Summary and Fertility Clinic Reports showed that the 138,198 ART cycles of treatment performed at 483 fertility clinics across the United States in 2006 resulted in 41,343 live births (deliveries of one or more living infants) and 54,656 infants.
Although the success rate of using ART is still not very high, ART does provide hope for many infertile couples. However, bear in mind that these treatments are often expensive, time-consuming and can be emotionally draining. Here is a quick rundown of the main ART approaches used by fertility clinics around the world.
In Vitro Fertilization (IVF)
IVF is one of the most commonly used ART procedures. During IVF, the egg is fertilized by the sperm outside the body in a laboratory. Once fertilization has taken place, the resulting embryo develop for three to five days before being transferred to the mother’s uterus. The patient can have a pregnancy test after about two weeks. If she becomes pregnant, antenatal care will be planned for her. If no pregnancy occurs, she can consider more fertility treatment.
Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT)
GIFT is actually a variation of IVF. In the procedure, the egg and sperm (both medically known as gametes) are combined in a dish in a laboratory. The gamete is then surgically injected into one of the fallopian tubes in the patient using a laparoscope. From here onwards, conception may take place naturally. Although this option was at one time widely used, it is now rarely the choice of treatment because IVF has a higher success rate.
Zygote Intrafallopian Transfer (ZIFT)
ZIFT also requires the combination of egg and sperm in a dish in a laboratory. The doctors will wait until fertilization takes place before surgically transferring the fertilized egg (medically known as zygote) into a fallopian tube in the patient. Like GIFT, ZIFT is no longer widely practiced due to its lower success rate compared to IVF.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
ICSI is a technique developed to help men with a very low sperm count to father a baby. During an ICSI procedure, a single sperm is injected into the egg’s cytoplasm (fluid center), allowing the sperm to bypass the egg’s protective outer layer. After 48 hours of incubation, the resulting embryo is transferred into the woman’s uterus using the same procedure as in IVF.
Infertile couples who truly wish to have children using their own eggs and sperm can consider the many ART techniques such as IVF, GIFT, ZIFT and ICSI available at fertility clinics. However, these treatments can be very costly and involve many medical procedures that can affect both physically and emotionally.
Found this article useful? Read also Common Causes of female infertility, Common Causes of Male Infertility and Choosing Assisted Reproductive Technology.
References:
Practical Parenting Group. Pregnancy – All your Questions Answered. London: Hamlyn, 2007.
Dr. Stoppard, Miriam. Family Health Guide. London: Dorling Kindersley, 2005
 |
