Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

In Vitro Fertilization01:24

In Vitro Fertilization

1.3K
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a form of assisted reproductive technology where an egg is fertilized with sperm in a controlled laboratory environment before transferring the resulting embryo into the uterus. This process is designed to help individuals and couples experiencing difficulties conceiving.
The IVF process begins with ovarian stimulation, during which reproductive endocrinologists prescribe hormonal medications to stimulate the ovaries to produce multiple eggs instead of the single...
1.3K
Infertility in Females01:28

Infertility in Females

5.0K
Female infertility is defined as the inability to conceive after a year of regular, unprotected intercourse and affects about 10–15% of couples worldwide. The primary cause of female infertility is ovulatory disorders, which hinder the release of eggs. These disorders can be classified as hypothalamic amenorrhea, polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS), premature ovarian failure, and hyperprolactinemic anovulation disorders.
Endometriosis, a condition characterized by abnormal growth of...
5.0K
Infertility in Males01:23

Infertility in Males

682
Male infertility affects millions of couples worldwide, arising from various factors that impact different stages of the reproductive process. An endocrine imbalance resulting from conditions like hypogonadism, Klinefelter syndrome, or pituitary disorders can disrupt hormone levels and reduce sperm production. Testicular defects, such as tumors, cryptorchidism, atrophic testes, abnormal sperm morphology, and low sperm count or motility, may arise due to genetic factors, structural...
682
Fertilization01:38

Fertilization

93.8K
During fertilization, an egg and sperm cell fuse to create a new diploid structure. In humans, the process occurs once the egg has been released from the ovary, and travels into the fallopian tubes. The process requires several key steps: 1) sperm present in the genital tract must locate the egg; 2) once there, sperm need to release enzymes to help them burrow through the protective zona pellucida of the egg; and 3) the membranes of a single sperm cell and egg must fuse, with the sperm...
93.8K
Meiosis II01:57

Meiosis II

210.5K
Meiosis II is the second and final stage of meiosis. It relies on the haploid cells produced during meiosis I, each of which contain only 23 chromosomes—one from each homologous initial pair. Importantly, each chromosome in these cells is composed of two joined copies, and when these cells enter meiosis II, the goal is to separate such sister chromatids using the same microtubule-based network employed in other division processes. The result of meiosis II is two haploid cells, each...
210.5K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Predicting natural conception leading to live birth for couples with infertility: a single-centre population-based cohort study of 7086 couples.

Human reproduction open·2026
Same author

The International Glossary on Infertility and Fertility Care, 2025†.

Fertility and sterility·2026
Same author

The International Glossary on Infertility and Fertility Care, 2025†.

Human reproduction (Oxford, England)·2026
Same author

The effectiveness of hormonal treatment to improve reproductive outcomes in normo-gonadotropic men with abnormal semen parameters: Results of two linked systematic reviews.

The Journal of clinical endocrinology and metabolism·2026
Same author

What do we mean by preconception health and preconception care in research and policy? A systematic review.

Human reproduction update·2026
Same author

Experiences of women from ethnic minorities and underserved, marginalised and disadvantaged groups in communicating with health professionals during antenatal care: An overview of qualitative systematic reviews.

NIHR open research·2026

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 30, 2026

OP-IVM: Combining In vitro Maturation after Oocyte Retrieval with Gynecological Surgery
05:31

OP-IVM: Combining In vitro Maturation after Oocyte Retrieval with Gynecological Surgery

Published on: May 9, 2021

4.9K

In vitro fertilisation for unexplained subfertility.

Zabeena Pandian1, Ahmed Gibreel, Siladitya Bhattacharya

  • 1Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Aberdeen Maternity Hospital, Foresterhill, Aberdeen, UK, AB25 2ZD.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews
|November 20, 2015
PubMed
Summary

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) may offer higher live birth rates compared to expectant management or unstimulated intrauterine insemination (IUI). However, evidence is insufficient for definitive conclusions, especially for treatment-naive women undergoing stimulated IUI.

More Related Videos

Fertility Preservation in Patients with Severe Ovarian Dysfunction
12:03

Fertility Preservation in Patients with Severe Ovarian Dysfunction

Published on: March 25, 2021

5.2K
Human Blastocyst Biopsy and Vitrification
10:59

Human Blastocyst Biopsy and Vitrification

Published on: July 26, 2019

24.0K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 30, 2026

OP-IVM: Combining In vitro Maturation after Oocyte Retrieval with Gynecological Surgery
05:31

OP-IVM: Combining In vitro Maturation after Oocyte Retrieval with Gynecological Surgery

Published on: May 9, 2021

4.9K
Fertility Preservation in Patients with Severe Ovarian Dysfunction
12:03

Fertility Preservation in Patients with Severe Ovarian Dysfunction

Published on: March 25, 2021

5.2K
Human Blastocyst Biopsy and Vitrification
10:59

Human Blastocyst Biopsy and Vitrification

Published on: July 26, 2019

24.0K

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Infertility Treatment
  • Evidence-Based Medicine

Background:

  • Subfertility affects one-third of couples with no identifiable cause.
  • In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a common but invasive and costly treatment for subfertility.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the effectiveness and safety of IVF versus expectant management and various intrauterine insemination (IUI) protocols.
  • To compare pregnancy outcomes, including live birth rates and multiple pregnancies.

Main Methods:

  • Systematic review of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing IVF with expectant management, unstimulated IUI, and stimulated IUI (gonadotropins, clomiphene, letrozole).
  • Primary outcome: cumulative live birth rate. Secondary outcomes: multiple pregnancy and adverse effects.
  • Data synthesis using risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs); evidence quality assessed using GRADE.

Main Results:

  • IVF showed higher live birth rates than expectant management (very low quality evidence) and unstimulated IUI (low quality evidence).
  • For treatment-naive women, no conclusive difference in live birth rates was found between IVF and IUI with gonadotropins or clomiphene (moderate to low quality evidence).
  • In women pretreated with clomiphene + IUI, IVF was associated with higher birth rates than IUI + gonadotropins (moderate quality evidence).

Conclusions:

  • IVF may improve live birth rates over expectant management and unstimulated IUI, though evidence quality is limited.
  • For treatment-naive patients, IVF and stimulated IUI show no conclusive difference in live birth rates.
  • Adequate assessment of adverse events was not possible due to limited data.