The key word in Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) is assisted. Actually, any kind of help we give a couple in achieving a pregnancy could be called assisted reproduction, from simply maximizing a couple’s chances of achieving a pregnancy by teaching them to properly time intercourse to using the most sophisticated techniques to help a single sperm fertilize an egg in the laboratory.

But the term usually refers to the more sophisticated types of infertility treatments, which can be identified by their acronyms—IVF, GIFT, ZIFT, ICSI, FET, PGD—abbreviations that may not have much meaning to you yet.

Currently, the clinically available procedures include:

• IVF (In Vitro Fertilization). This is the cornerstone in the ART repertoire, where the egg and sperm are combined in the laboratory, incubated, and the resulting embryos are transferred into the woman’s uterus. In 2001 98% of all ART was IVF.
• GIFT (Gamete IntraFallopian Transfer). In this procedure the physician transfers a mixture of eggs and sperm into the fallopian tube during a laparoscopy, allowing fertilization to take place in the normal location. GIFT represented less than 1% of all ART in 2001.
• ZIFT (Zygote IntraFallopian Transfer). With this method, which is a mixture of IVF and GIFT, fertilization takes place in vitro, but the resulting fertilized eggs (zygotes) are placed into the fallopian tube. In the 2001 SART/CDC report, which tracks all ART cycles done in the U.S., ZIFT accounted for 1% of all ART that year.
• ICSI (IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection). This is a variation of IVF in which fertilization is achieved by direct injection of a single sperm into the egg. It is utilized when the male partner has a significant sperm problem, or when IVF is planned and there is another significant concern regarding fertilization. ICSI was performed in 50% of ART cases in 2001.
• AH (Assisted Hatching). This is an additional variation in IVF in which a small hole is made in the shell surrounding the embryo to facilitate implantation.
• FET (Frozen Embryo Transfer). The cryopreservation (freezing) of extra embryos and later transfer allows the chance of pregnancy when the “fresh” cycle is unsuccessful or for an additional pregnancy at a later time.
• PGD (Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis). This technique is also a variation of IVF involving removal of a polar body (genetic material next to the maturing egg), or a cell from the dividing embryo for genetic analysis to avoid the transfer of genetically abnormal embryos or embryos carrying a genetic abnormality linked to the sex of the offspring (generally the male).

As you can see, many of these procedures are very similar, and some procedures, as defined by certain groups, may overlap. Others may be done in conjunction with IVF.

In order for a couple to maximize their chance of success using these techniques, it’s important that they educate themselves about which of the ABCs might be appropriate for them.