What is in vitro fertilization?
IVF involves taking eggs from the woman, fertilizing them in the laboratory with her partner's sperm and transferring the resulting embryos back to her uterus 2-6 (usually 3 or 5) days later.
The first IVF baby 'Louise Brown' in the world was born in July of 1978 in England. Today, many thousands of children are born annually as a result of this technique.

Who should be treated with in vitro fertilization?
In vitro fertilization can be used as an effective treatment for infertility of all causes except for women with infertility caused by an anatomic problem with the uterus, such as severe intrauterine adhesions.

It is generally used in couples who have failed to conceive after at least one year of trying who also have one or more of the following:

- Failed 2-6 cycles of ovarian stimulation with intrauterine insemination
- Severe male factor infertility (low sperm count or low motility)
- Advanced female age - over 38
- Severe endometriosis
- Blocked fallopian tubes or pelvic adhesions with distorted pelvic anatomy. Women that have had tubal ligation and are considering tubal reversal surgery as well as men that are considering vasectomy reversal surgery might also consider IVF.
- Reduced ovarian reserve, which means lower quantity (and sometimes quantity) of eggs. A day 3 FSH and estradiol test and antral follicle counts are often done as screening tests for egg quantity (and quality). Reduced egg quantity and quality is usually treated with either IVF, or with IVF using egg donation from another woman.

Conventional IVF

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

With ejaculated sperms as well as testicular sperms obtained after testicular sperm extraction (TESE), testicular sperm aspiration (TESA), percutaneous epididymal sperm aspiration (PESA).

Cryopreservation of embryos.

In patients with ovarian failure IVF with donor oocytes is also available.