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In Vitro Fertilization

In Vitro Fertilization

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.
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jul 15, 2025

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

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

Published on: May 9, 2021

In vitro fertilisation for unexplained subfertility.

Sesh Kamal Sunkara^1,2, Mohan S Kamath³, Zabeena Pandian⁴

¹Division of Women's Health, Faculty of Life Sciences & Medicine, King's College London, London, UK.

The Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews

|September 27, 2023

Summary

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) may improve live birth rates compared to unstimulated intrauterine insemination (IUI). However, evidence quality is low, and caution is advised when interpreting these findings for unexplained subfertility.

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Area of Science:

Reproductive Medicine and Endocrinology
Infertility Treatments and Outcomes
Evidence-Based Reproductive Health

Background:

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a common treatment for unexplained subfertility.
However, IVF is invasive, costly, and carries potential risks.
Comparative effectiveness of IVF against other fertility treatments requires evaluation.

Approach:

Systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs).
Searched multiple databases (Cochrane, MEDLINE, Embase, etc.) from inception to November 2021.
Included RCTs comparing IVF with expectant management, unstimulated IUI, and stimulated IUI (using gonadotropins or clomiphene citrate).

Key Points:

IVF may improve live birth rate (LBR) compared to unstimulated intrauterine insemination (IUI), though evidence quality is low.
Uncertainty exists regarding IVF's effectiveness versus expectant management due to very low-quality evidence.
For treatment-naive women, IVF shows little or no difference in LBR or clinical pregnancy rate (CPR) compared to IUI with gonadotropins or clomiphene citrate, with low-quality evidence.

Conclusions:

IVF may offer improved live birth rates over unstimulated IUI for unexplained subfertility.
The overall low quality of evidence necessitates cautious interpretation of findings.
Further high-quality research is needed to definitively establish IVF's comparative effectiveness and safety.