Infertility affects many couples, leading to the development of various medical interventions under the umbrella of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). ART utilizes medical and laboratory techniques to bring about conception and offers several paths toward parenthood. Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT) is one specialized procedure within the field of fertility treatment.
Defining Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer
Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT) is a type of assisted reproductive technology. The term “gamete” refers to the reproductive cells—the female egg and the male sperm—which are the components transferred. GIFT involves placing both the egg and sperm directly into the woman’s fallopian tube. This design means that fertilization is intended to occur naturally within the body, rather than in a laboratory setting.
This technique mimics the biological sequence of natural conception. Since the egg and sperm are deposited in the fallopian tube, the body’s environment facilitates the union where fertilization normally takes place. The subsequent journey of the fertilized egg, or zygote, is intended to follow the natural path to the uterus for implantation.
The Step-by-Step GIFT Procedure
The GIFT procedure begins with stimulating the ovaries, similar to other ART treatments. Fertility medications encourage the ovaries to produce multiple mature eggs in a single cycle. Physicians monitor the patient’s response using blood tests to track hormone levels and ultrasound imaging to observe the growth of follicles.
Once the eggs reach maturity, the next phase is egg retrieval, which requires a minimally invasive surgical procedure. The retrieval is performed using a laparoscope, inserted through a small incision near the navel, under general anesthesia. This allows the physician to locate and aspirate the mature eggs directly from the ovaries. Simultaneously, a semen sample is collected and prepared in the laboratory. The sperm is washed and concentrated to select the most motile and healthy cells, priming them for fertilization.
The collected eggs and prepared sperm are mixed together in a specialized catheter. The physician uses the laparoscope to guide the catheter and deposit the mixture of gametes into the fallopian tube. If both fallopian tubes are healthy, the gametes may be divided and placed into each tube to enhance the chance of successful fertilization. This surgical transfer positions the gametes in the optimal physiological location for conception to occur spontaneously inside the body.
Ideal Candidates and Medical Indications
Candidates for Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer are selected based on specific medical criteria. A requirement for the GIFT procedure is that the woman must have at least one healthy and unobstructed fallopian tube. This is because the entire process, from fertilization to the initial stage of embryo development, must occur naturally within that structure.
GIFT is often considered for couples diagnosed with unexplained infertility, where standard diagnostic tests have not identified a clear cause. It may also be an option in cases of mild male factor infertility, provided the sperm quality is sufficient for fertilization without laboratory assistance. Because GIFT allows fertilization to happen internally, it is sometimes chosen by couples who hold religious or ethical objections to fertilization outside the body, a core feature of In Vitro Fertilization. Success rates are influenced by the female partner’s age, with younger women experiencing a higher likelihood of pregnancy.
Key Distinctions from In Vitro Fertilization
The most significant distinction between Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer and In Vitro Fertilization is the location where fertilization is intended to occur. In IVF, the egg and sperm are combined in vitro, meaning “in glass” or in a laboratory dish, to create an embryo. Conversely, GIFT is an in vivo procedure, where the gametes are placed into the fallopian tube, requiring fertilization to take place inside the woman’s body.
This fundamental difference in location has cascading effects on the subsequent steps of the process. Because fertilization happens internally with GIFT, the medical team cannot confirm that an egg has been successfully fertilized before implantation. IVF, however, allows embryologists to monitor the fertilization process and assess the quality of the resulting embryos before transferring the most viable ones to the uterus. The lack of external monitoring in GIFT means there is no opportunity to perform certain advanced procedures, such as preimplantation genetic testing, which can be done with IVF embryos.
The transfer procedure itself also differs considerably, as GIFT requires a laparoscopic surgery, which involves general anesthesia and abdominal incisions, to access the fallopian tubes. In contrast, the embryo transfer in an IVF cycle is a relatively non-surgical procedure, performed by guiding a catheter through the cervix into the uterus. While GIFT was historically considered a highly effective ART option, the advancements and higher efficiency of modern IVF techniques have made it the more common choice in fertility clinics today. IVF success rates are typically higher than GIFT, with IVF offering cumulative pregnancy rates that can range from 40% to 50% per treatment cycle for many patients.