Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer
G.I.F.T

Gamete - The mature reproductive cells of the sperm and ovum (egg).

Gamete Intra fallopian Transfer- or G.I.F.T is an early assisted reproductive technology (ART) technique devised to assist unknown infertility in couples. This procedure is normally applied to couples with good sperm and normal fallopian tube.

The advantage of using the GIFT method, is that it mimics the body's natural process and is thus considered to be the most "normal" of all ART techniques. This is an alternative to in-vitro fertilization (IVF) in assisted reproduction treatments.

GIFT is also the procedure most accepted by religious practices in many cultures.

Normal pregnancy process

For any normal fertile couple, the process starts with the normal monthly ovulation cycle - the build up of hormones, the release of an egg during ovulation, intercourse and sperm being available, the meeting of sperm and egg in the fallopian tube after which fertilization takes place.

Thereafter the fertilized egg, now an embryo, travels to the uterine cavity and subsequently implants in the uterine wall, resulting in a pregnancy. The process could be between four to six days, from ovulation to implantation.

Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer - GIFT

The GIFT technique follows the same principals as defined by the body's normal function. The female's eggs and the male's sperm are placed together in a catheter and inserted into the woman's fallopian tube. For GIFT to be successful at least one of the fallopian tubes must be healthy.

Thereafter fertilization occurs naturally inside the body and as normal, the embryo then travels to the uterus for implantation.

The process would take more or less the same time, between three to six days.

The GIFT treatment stages

The work up to the GIFT process is the same process as defined for IVF Treatment. Various steps have to be followed to ensure a successful outcome to the treatment.

In summary these stages, or steps are:

• The female partner is prescribed fertility drugs for ovarian stimulation and growth.
• On about day 8 of the ovulation cycle, monitoring of the follicles will take place, with ultra sound and blood tests.
• Administering of infertility medications injection to stimulate ovulation for the release of eggs.
• The Eggs are retrieved via laparoscopy or ultrasound, using guided aspiration.
• Semen sample, sperm wash and sperm collection.

At this point the process differs quite substantially from that followed for IVF treatment, to ensure fertilization takes place inside the woman's fallopian tube:

• Sperm and egg are sequentially loaded into the catheter, ready for transfer.
• The transfer is directly into the woman's fallopian tube, through a tiny incision in abdomen, under general anesthesia.
• Further fertility drug treatment may be prescribed, such as progesterone, to prepare the endometrial lining to be receptive to implantation.
• An option to take blood tests 7 days later to monitor hormone levels and if necessary additional hormone therapy.
• Blood pregnancy test 12 to 14 days later.

G.I.F.T success rate

An estimate of 50% of GIFT treatments result in pregnancies. Older woman also have a higher chance of success, as more eggs can be transferred. In the unfortunate event of the first treatment not resulting in a pregnancy, then further procedures should be considered.

In some cases it may take more than one attempt before pregnancy is achieved. Bearing in mind, that this will be a difficult and stressful time to have to go through more than one attempt.

Z.I.F.T

The process and steps for this technique is the same as for GIFT. With ZIFT - Zygote intra fallopian transfer - the only difference between these two treatments is that the egg and sperm are fertilized in the laboratory in a Petri dish, rather than the fallopian tube and will require a laparoscopy guided surgical procedure.

ZIFT treatment requires a woman to have at least one healthy functioning fallopian tube. The procedure is also sometimes referred to as tubal embryo transfer (TET).

The obvious benefit of ZIFT is that a zygote is transferred and not an egg and sperm mixture.

Zygote is described as a fertilized ovum. A singled fertilized cell resulting from fusion of the sperm and egg.

The physician will transfer between one and four zygotes into the fallopian tube with a success rate of 24% of pregnancy, and as much as 35% of ZIFT pregnancies result in multiple implantation's and births.

GIFT method only applies to approximately 2% and ZIFT, 1.5% of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) in the United States.

GIFT can be classified as a natural ART treatment of infertility.

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