Assisted reproductive technology

Abstract

Several aspects of reproductive technology are discussed. In tubal infertility, the choice between surgery or in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) is addressed. In cases with bilateral distal occlusion or otherwise bad prognosis, IVF is probably more successful and less expensive. IVF in unstimulated cycles has given promising results, with pregnancy rates comparable to the results from the National IVF-ET Registry. If these results can be confirmed by more studies they will probably have a great impact on the choice of treatment in tubal infertility. The results obtained with various transfer procedures in nontubal infertility have still to prove tubal transfer to be a more effective procedure than IVF. Finally, studies on microinsemination in male infertility or unexplained infertility with previous fertilization failure in IVF show promising results with the subzonal insemination and partial zona dissection procedures.