Infertility

Methods of Overcoming Infertility

Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART): In Vitro Fertilization

(from lat. vitrum: glass. Literally: fertilization in a glass)

The term "in vitro fertilization" refers to the medical procedure of retrieving eggs from female body and sperm from the male body and then placing these different sex cells (gametes) together in a laboratory dish where they have a greatly enhanced opportunity to unite and then grow. If they do, i.e. if fertilization and the following segmentation have taken place, the growing cell clusters are transferred into the uterus, where they can be expected to implant in the uterine lining.

In Vitro Fertilization: Mature eggs are removed from the ovary, placed in a dish to be fertilized. After their segmentation, the fertilized eggs are transferred from the dish into the uterus.
(Schematic drawing. The size of some of the elements is greatly exaggerated and disproportioned to some of the other elements.)