What Are The Different Types Of Assisted Reproductive Technologies?

The following conditions are mandatory for viable pregnancy to occur:

• The egg should be released from one of the woman’s ovaries
• The sperm of the man should meet the egg and fertilize it
• The fertilized egg must travel to the uterus from the Fallopian tube
• The fertilized egg or embryo should implant itself in the wall of the uterus

If any of the above-mentioned steps are not completed properly, then pregnancy cannot happen.

ART or Assisted Reproduction Technology: What Does It Mean?

ART or assisted reproductive technology involves specialized fertility treatments where both sperms and eggs are treated, rather, fertilized in-vitro usually in a Petri dish in a laboratory. The woman’s eggs are removed from the ovaries and are fertilized by male sperms in the laboratory. The zygote is then placed back into the woman’s uterus for implantation and further development.

The success of assisted reproductive technology is dependent upon-

• The age of the female undergoing the process
• The set up where the procedure is being done
• The diagnosis of infertility
• The quality of sperm

If even after seeking medical and surgical infertility treatment, a woman does not become pregnant, she then will have to opt for more complicated and specialized techniques known as ART.

ART includes:

• IUI or intrauterine Insemination
• IVF or in vitro fertilization
• Third-party mediated ART sperm donation.

Third-party mediated ART sperm donation includes:

• Egg donation
• Surrogates
• Gestational carriers

What Are The Different Types Of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART)?

The different kinds of assisted reproductive techniques are listed below:

IVF or In Vitro Fertilization

IVF refers to fertilization that happens outside the body of the woman. This is the most common type of ART. IVF is mostly done in case of blockage of a woman’s fallopian tube or when the sperm count of the husband is low.

The steps of in vitro fertilization include:

• Stimulation of maturation of the egg
• Retrieval of egg
• Fertilization
• Embryo transfer

You can read more on IVF here. The side effects of IVF are enlisted here.

ZIFT or Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer or Tubal Embryo Transfer

ZIFT is quite identical to IVF except for the fact that in ZIFT the embryo at a very young stage is transferred into the fallopian tube instead of the woman’s uterus.

GIFT or Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer

This type of ART includes the transfer of sperms and eggs in the woman’s fallopian tube so that instead of the external environment, the fertilization occurs in the woman’s own body.

ICSI or Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection

This technique is done for those infertile couples where there is some problem with male fertility or who have a history of failed IVF attempts. In ICSI a viable single sperm is injected into the mature egg and the egg is fertilized.

Surrogacy

If a female is not having viable and healthy eggs and is unable to conceive she might opt for surrogacy. In surrogacy second or donor woman legally agrees to become pregnant with the sperm of the first woman’s husband.

Genetically speaking the born child belongs to the male partner and the surrogate mother. The surrogate mother is given a heavy amount of compensation for bringing the child into the world. You can read more on surrogacy here.

Opting For A Gestational Carrier

If a woman has some health issue and is unable to carry a fetus in her uterus or has ovaries but no uterus, then the available option is to seek the help of a gestational carrier. The egg of the original mother is fertilized by her husband’s sperms and the embryo is then placed inside the uterus of the carrier woman.

Here, in this case, the gestational carrier is in no way related to the child.

The Technique Of IUI To Treat In-fertilization

IUI or intrauterine insemination or artificial insemination is the process involving the insertion of ‘specially treated sperms’ in the woman’s uterus. The woman is often cured with special medicines before undergoing IUI in order to stimulate the process of ovulation. IUI is commonly done for:

• Treating male infertility
• Cases of unexplained infertility

ART is a costly process yet it is a blessing in disguise for those couples who are unable to conceive. A common complication associated with ART is multiple pregnancies. It however can be evaded by transplanting the limited number of embryos in the woman’s uterus.