Assisted Reproductive Technology | IVF - MedlinePlus

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You Are Here: Home → Health Topics → Assisted Reproductive Technology URL of this page: https://medlineplus.gov/assistedreproductivetechnology.html Assisted Reproductive Technology Also called: ART, In Vitro Fertilization, IVF

Summary

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is used to treat infertility. It includes fertility treatments that handle both eggs and sperm. It works by removing eggs from the ovaries. The eggs are then mixed with sperm to make embryos. The embryos are then put back in the parent's body. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most common and effective type of ART.

ART procedures sometimes use donor eggs, donor sperm, or previously frozen embryos. It may also involve a surrogate or gestational carrier. A surrogate becomes pregnant with sperm from one partner of the couple. A gestational carrier becomes pregnant with an egg from one partner and sperm from the other partner.

The most common complication of ART is a multiple pregnancy. It can be prevented or minimized by limiting the number of embryos that are put into the parent's body.

Learn More

• Assisted Reproductive Technologies (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)
• Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) (Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) Also in Spanish
• Counseling Issues to Discuss with Gay Men and Lesbians Seeking Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) (American Society for Reproductive Medicine) - PDF
• In vitro fertilization (IVF) (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) (Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
• Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• National Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Summary (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention)
• Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (Medical Encyclopedia) Also in Spanish
• Third Party Reproduction: Sperm, Egg, and Embryo Donation and Surrogacy (American Society for Reproductive Medicine)

Clinical Trials

• ClinicalTrials.gov: Fertilization in Vitro (National Institutes of Health)
• ClinicalTrials.gov: Reproductive Techniques, Assisted (National Institutes of Health)

Journal Articles References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)

• Article: A point-of-care assay for genotyping women prior to ovarian stimulation with...
• Article: Correlation between follicular fluid hormonal levels in PCOS women and embryo...
• Article: Impact of endometriotic cystectomy on ovarian reserve function and ovulation induction...
• Assisted Reproductive Technology -- see more articles

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National Institutes of Health

The primary NIH organization for research on Assisted Reproductive Technology is the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development

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