Your fertility encyclopaedia

IVF stands for in vitro fertilization, and is where an egg and sperm are fertilised outside of the body in a glass dish, and placed back in the woman’s uterus.
This treatment is recommended if a woman’s fallopian tubes are damaged, there is unexplained infertility or for older women whose eggs have started to deteriorate.

GIFT stands for gamete intrafallopian transfer. In this procedure the sperm and egg and mixed, then placed back in the body to fertilize naturally. GIFT is often used if the man has a low sperm count, or where ovulatory disorders and cervical conditions are causing infertility. GIFT is only suitable for women with healthy fallopian tubes.

ZIFT stands for zygote intra-fallopian transfer, and is much the same as GIFT, except that a very young embryo is transferred to the fallopian tube.

SUZI stands for subzonal insemination. A single sperm is placed beneath the zona pellucida (the protein shell which surrounds the egg) and can be a great benefit to men with a low sperm count or have high percentages of sperm with abnormalities or a sperm blockage.

MIST stands for micro-insemination sperm transfer and is similar to SUZI.

ICSI stands for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. This technique involves selecting a single sperm and injecting it directly into the egg. It is often used if the man experiences low sperm count, sperm abnormalities and blockages. MESA stands for micro-epididymal sperm aspiration. This involves sperm being surgically extracted from the epididymis and is usually for men who have no sperm in their ejaculate.

TESE stands for testicular sperm extraction and is the same as MESA, except the sperm is collected from the testis.

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The information in this feature is intended for educational purposes only. If you have any concerns about your health, the health of your child or the health of someone you know, please consult with a doctor or other healthcare professional.