Abstract

Assisted reproductive technology (ART) refers to those procedures aiming to achieve pregnancy through manipulating one or both male and female gametes (i.e., sperm and oocyte). The main fertilization techniques are artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI), and gestational surrogacy. Each makes use of different biological materials and organs such as sperm, oocyte, and the uterus of different persons such as parents-to-be or donors. Each also addresses specific infertility causes be they male, female, or idiopathic (unknown). These techniques were gradually developed over a long time span.