GIFT - Gamete Intra Fallopian Tube Tansfer

A Gamete Intra Fallopian Tube Transfer (GIFT) is a laparoscopic
procedure where eggs are removed by laparoscopy, mixed outside the body
with sperm and then the mixture of eggs and spem is injected into the
fallopian tube with a catheter.

GIFT is a procedure done on one day and it involves:

1. Stimulating a woman's eggs with medications
2. Performing a laparoscopy and removing a woman's eggs  
3. Mixing the eggs with sperm outside the body inside a dish
4. Placing the sperm/egg mixture immediately into the fallopian tube with a small catheter.

Today, GIFT is considered outdated, because IVF has a higher success rate and does not involve laparoscopic surgery.

Differences between GIFT and in vitro fertilization (IVF)

• GIFT has a lower success rate than IVF and requires functioning fallopian tubes
• GIFT does not involve embryo culture. This enables some patients to try getting pregnant without addressing the ethical concern about how many embryos to create or transfer.
• IVF is more appropriate for women who have more severe infertility concerns such as low sperm count and fallopian tube problems
• In the IVF procedure the best quality embryos can be selected on day 3 or day 5 for transfer, whereas GIFT places unfertilized eggs and sperm in the tubes.
• In the GIFT procedure, the transfer of gametes into the tube requires an extra surgical procedure called laparoscopy.