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Pregnancy & Baby Index: Infertility: The ART of infertility
The ART of infertility
Three different procedures account for most of today's infertility treatments that use assisted reproductive technology (ART). Here's a look at what's being done.
Alphabet soup name: IVF
Official name: In vitro fertilization
Key word: "In vitro" -- Latin for "in glass," referring to the lab equipment used
How it's done: Eggs are extracted from the ovaries and fertilized with sperm in vitro. Any embryos created are transferred to the uterus via the cervix.
Interesting facts: Singer Celine Dion's son Rene was conceived with the help of IVF... and so were the McCaughey septuplets.
Alphabet soup name: GIFT
Official name: Gamete intrafallopian transfer
Key word: "Gamete" -- a male or female reproductive cell (the egg or sperm).
How it's done: Eggs are harvested and then combined with sperm before fertilization occurs. A laparoscope (a fiber optic surgical instrument) is used to deliver the unfertilized gametes into the fallopian tubes. The scope does its work via small abdominal incisions.
Interesting fact: Some religions forbid conception outside of the woman's body, so GIFT is a good workaround solution.
Alphabet soup name: ZIFT
Official name: Zygote intrafallopian transfer
Key word: "Zygote" -- unfertilized egg
How it's done: Eggs are harvested and combined with sperm. A laparoscope is used to deliver the fertilized eggs into the fallopian tubes via small abdominal incisions.
Interesting fact: Time (12–16 hours) is one of the main differences between this procedure and GIFT. In ZIFT, the eggs are fertilized before they're placed in the tube.
 About the author: Nancy Price co-founded SheKnows.com in 1999, and now serves as Executive Editor and CEM (Chief Executive of Miscellany). In the midst of growing several award-winning websites over the past decade (woo!), she also served as the editor-in-chief of two national print magazines and has continued to explore her love of entertainment by interviewing bands, musicians, actors and others. Originally from the San Francisco Bay Area, she now lives in Arizona with her four kids and more than half a ton of animals (*packaged by weight, not volume). Have something cool, clever, charming, creative, confessional or captivating to share? You can contact Nancy via email at her first name at sheknows.com or via her personal site at andwhatsnext.com.
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