Suggest some methods to assist infertile couples to have children.

In cases of infertile couples where correction of problems are possible, assisted reproductive technologies can be used to help them have children.

In vitro fertilisation (IVF)

It is a fertilization method outside the body in almost similar conditions as that in the body which is followed by embryo transfer (ET) is one such method. This method, popularly known as test tube baby program, ova from the wife/donor (female) and sperms from the husband/donor (male) are collected and are induced to form zygote under simulated conditions in the laboratory. The zygote or early embryos (upto 8 blastomeres) could then be transferred into the fallopian tube (ZIFT–zygote intra fallopian transfer) and embryos with more than 8 blastomeres, into the uterus (IUT – intra uterine transfer), to complete its further development. Embryos formed by in-vivo fertilisation (fusion of gametes within the female) also could be used for such transfer to assist those females who cannot conceive.

GIFT – gamete intra fallopian transfer

It is transfer of ova on one female to another female who cannot produce one, but can provide suitable environment for fertilisation and further development is another method attempted.

Intra cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

It is another specialised procedure to form an embryo in the laboratory in which a sperm is directly injected into the ovum.

• Infertility cases either due to inability of the male partner to inseminate the female or due to very low sperm counts in the ejaculates, could be corrected by artificial insemination (AI) technique. In this technique, the semen collected either from the husband or a healthy donor is artificially introduced either into the vagina or into the uterus (IUI – intra-uterine insemination) of the female.