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While the assisted reproductive technology started with in vitro fertilization when the egg of a woman and the sperm of a man have been united in a laboratory and nine months later a baby was born, in our days this is a common procedure in case of those couples who struggle with fertility problems.

In modern days the technology of assisted reproduction doesn’t only refer to IVF (in vitro fertilization) but some other technologies as well that have been created in order to meet the needs of different patients.

In the majority of the cases such a reproductive technology is accompanied by other fertility methods to increase the chances of conception.

Such conventional therapies include the use of fertility drugs. The good news regarding these technologies is that in about 33% of the cases the procedure results in the birth of a baby.

Nonetheless the ART procedures have some downsides as well, such as being invasive and expensive. It is though that there are no long term consequences regarding the baby, but they are still used as a last resort.

In vitro fertilization as one of the assisted reproductive technology methods

This is the most common one of the procedures. During this procedure the sperm and the egg are united in a dish in a laboratory setting. After this the specialists wait for 3-5 days for the development of the embryo, and only then is the embryo transferred to the uterus of the mother.

Intracystoplasmic sperm injection

This kind of ART is also known as ICSI. Unlike in case of IVF when the sperms are placed close to the egg, hoping that they will fertilize it, during ICSI there is a sperm inserted into the egg with the help of a microscopic needle.

After fertilization the embryo is transferred to the uterus.

Gamete intrafallopian transfer

During the assisted reproductive technology the sperm and the egg are combined in a dish in the lab and then they are transferred to the fallopian tube with the help of a laparoscope.

Fertilization takes place inside the body of the woman and the embryo gets naturally embedded. Although this procedure of reproductive technology that is assisted was once common, nowadays it is rarely used, because IVF turns out to be more efficient.

Zygote intrafallopian transfer

Just as in the previous case of ART, the egg and the sperms are combined in a laboratory and then they are transferred into the body of the woman.

Just as in case of IVF, the doctors will make sure that the egg has been fertilized before it gets transferred to the fallopian tube. Similarly to GIFT, this method of assisted reproductive technology is rarely used in our days.

Donor embryo or egg

When a woman is looking for ART possibilities since she can’t get pregnant because of her eggs, she could have an egg donated by another woman that is mixed with the sperm of her partner and the embryo gets transferred to the uterus.

As you can see there are a lot of different possibilities when it comes to assisted reproductive technology.