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Why it's done

By Mayo Clinic staff

In vitro fertilization is a possible treatment option for infertility. Depending on the cause of infertility, you and your partner might try less invasive treatment options before attempting in vitro fertilization, including fertility drugs to increase your production of eggs (superovulation) or intrauterine insemination — a procedure in which sperm are placed directly in your uterus. Occasionally, in vitro fertilization is offered as a primary treatment for infertility in women older than age 40. In vitro fertilization can also be done if you have certain health conditions.

For example, in vitro fertilization may be an option if you or your partner has:

• Fallopian tube damage or blockage. Fallopian tube damage or blockage makes it difficult for an egg to be fertilized or for an embryo to travel to the uterus.
• Ovulation disorders. If ovulation is infrequent or absent, fewer eggs are available for fertilization.
• Premature ovarian failure. Premature ovarian failure is the loss of normal ovarian function before age 40. If your ovaries fail, they don't produce normal amounts of the hormone estrogen or release eggs regularly.
• Endometriosis. Endometriosis occurs when the uterine tissue implants and grows outside of the uterus — often affecting the function of the ovaries, uterus and fallopian tubes.
• Uterine fibroids. Fibroids are benign tumors in the wall of the uterus and are common in women in their 30s and 40s. Fibroids can interfere with implantation of the fertilized egg.
• Previous tubal sterilization. If you've had tubal ligation — a type of sterilization in which your fallopian tubes are cut or blocked to permanently prevent pregnancy — and want to conceive, in vitro fertilization may be an alternative to tubal ligation reversal.
• Impaired sperm production or function. Below-average sperm concentration, weak movement of sperm, or abnormalities in sperm size and shape can make it difficult for sperm to fertilize an egg.
• Unexplained infertility. Unexplained infertility means no cause of infertility has been found.
• A genetic disorder. If you and your partner are at risk of passing on a genetic disorder to your child, you may be candidates for preimplantation genetic diagnosis — a procedure that involves in vitro fertilization. After the eggs are harvested and fertilized they're screened for genetic problems. Embryos that don't contain affected genes can be implanted.
• Other health conditions. If you're about to undergo cancer treatment — such as radiation or chemotherapy — that could harm your fertility, future in vitro fertilization might be an option. Women can have eggs harvested from their ovaries and frozen for later use or fertilized through in vitro fertilization, frozen and stored for later use. Men can have semen samples frozen and stored for later use. In addition, women who don't have fallopian tubes or a functional uterus or for whom pregnancy poses a serious health risk might be candidates for in vitro fertilization.

In vitro fertilization can be used by a couple to conceive a biological child or with the use of donor eggs, sperm or embryos. Donors can be known or anonymous. The embryo can also be implanted in the uterus of a gestational carrier.

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