IVF and assisted reproduction

This page is reference information compiled from the cited sources. It is not medical advice. For any decision about health, diagnosis or care, consult a qualified professional.

What it is

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) includes medical procedures used primarily to address infertility. It belongs to the field of reproductive endocrinology and infertility. These are procedures where the process of sexual intercourse is bypassed and fertilization of the oocyte occurs in a laboratory environment, which is in vitro fertilization (IVF). According to the CDC, ART includes all fertility treatments in which both eggs and sperm are handled. The procedures generally involve surgically removing eggs from a woman's ovaries, combining them with sperm in the laboratory, and returning them to the woman's body or donating them. ART encompasses techniques such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and cryopreservation of gametes and embryos.

Key facts

Assisted reproductive technology is used primarily to address infertility and may also be referred to as fertility treatment. Some forms may be used by fertile couples for genetic purposes, such as for preimplantation genetic diagnosis, or in surrogacy arrangements. A common technique is in vitro fertilization, where fertilization of sperm and egg occurs outside the female body. Specific procedures include transvaginal ovum retrieval to collect eggs and embryo transfer to place embryos into the uterus. Other techniques are intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for male factor infertility, assisted zona hatching, and the use of egg donors for women with no eggs or poor egg quality. Sperm donation provides a source for IVF where the male partner produces no sperm or has an inheritable disease. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is an adjunct to ART procedures and requires IVF to obtain embryos for evaluation. Risks associated with ART include multiple pregnancies, which carry higher risks of adverse outcomes like preterm birth and low birth weight.

When to seek professional help

Professional medical procedures are used primarily to address infertility. They are considered in cases of anovulation or oligoovulation, which ovulation induction medication aims to reverse. Professional care is associated with male factor infertility where sperm counts are very low or when fertilization failed in previous IVF attempts, making procedures like intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) beneficial. It is also used for patients who have failed previous IVF attempts or who have poor embryo quality, where treatments like autologous endometrial coculture are possible. Women with no eggs due to surgery, chemotherapy, or genetic causes, or with poor egg quality, previously unsuccessful IVF cycles, or advanced maternal age, may use egg donors through the process. Professional ART procedures are also used where the male partner produces no sperm or has an inheritable disease, or where the woman being treated has no male partner, requiring sperm donation.

Source: Assisted reproductive technology (CC BY-SA 4.0 (Wikipedia)), retrieved 2026-10-06.