Assisted Reproductive Technology

When a woman does not become pregnant the natural way, she could choose to seek assistance by way of complex processes called assisted reproductive technology. There are many such procedures including IVF or in vitro fertilization, sperm or egg donation, apart from surrogacy or gestational carrying.

Assisted Reproductive Technology (Photo Courtesy: http://mediterranean-healthcare.com)

Because intrauterine insemination is all about placing sperm into the woman’s uterus to aid fertilization, and the treatment does not involve manipulating the eggs, it is not often considered an ART procedure.

One of the most commonly used methods of ART is in vitro fertilization. It is used when the fallopian tubes in a woman are blocked or when a man has low sperm count. The procedure involves treating a woman with drugs that boost egg production. Once the eggs are mature, they are taken out, and used for fertilization with a sperm in lab conditions. At the end of three or five days, the embryos are implanted into the uterus of the woman.

Intrafallopian transfer

Similar procedures involve gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT), zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The zygote transfer is similar to IVF, but the embryo is transferred not into the uterus but into the fallopian tube. When it comes to GIFT, the eggs and sperm are transferred into the woman’s fallopian tube to ensure fertilization occurs not in laboratory conditions but inside the woman’s body.

ICSI for sperm issues

Intracytopasmic sperm injection is a procedure used when there are serious problems with sperm production. Also, it is used among couples who are older or who have tried IVF and have not succeeded. When it comes to ICSI, a sperm is injected into a mature egg which is then transferred either to the fallopian tube or the uterus.

There are ART procedures that don’t involve use of the same couple’s eggs or sperm. Sometime’s donor eggs or sperm are used. This procedure is also used when one of the partners has a genetic condition which should not be passed on to the baby.

Donor egg or sperm

Surrogacy is also an option for women who don’t produce eggs or who produce poor-quality eggs. The surrogate is willing to become pregnant with the help of the man’s sperm and her own egg. The surrogate has to give up the baby post-delivery. Women who have no uterus but have ovaries could use a gestational carrier. Here, the woman’s own egg is used, fertilized by her male partner’s sperm and then placed inside the uterus of the carrier.

If you considering any of these options, you should visit an advanced fertility centre Bangalore is home to, for a consultation first. Also, you would first need to tell your doctor how long you have tried to conceive naturally and your medical and reproductive history. Success rates vary from couple to couple and there is no rule that all ART procedures succeed. Similarly, a procedure that fails in one couple could succeed in another. Your doctor will suggest the most well suited among advanced fertility treatments in Bangalore for you.