Which treatments are examples of ART?

• A. IUI, natural cycles
• B. IVF, ZIFT, and GIFT
• C. Donor egg cycles only
• D. Sperm washing only

Answer: (B)

ART encompasses procedures where eggs, sperm, or embryos are handled outside the body to achieve fertilization and pregnancy. IVF fits this perfectly: eggs and sperm are combined in the lab to create embryos, which are then transferred into the uterus. ZIFT and GIFT are older variations that also involve lab handling of gametes or early embryos, with the final transfer occurring into the fallopian tubes or embryo, respectively. This lab-based manipulation is what makes them ART.

In contrast, intrauterine insemination places sperm directly into the uterus without lab fertilization, and natural cycles rely on natural conception without any lab intervention, so they are not considered ART. Donor egg cycles aren’t inherently ART unless they involve laboratory fertilization (as with IVF), so as stated they don’t define ART on their own.