"Assisted Reproductive Technology is a method in which we use medical devices to attain pregnancy and it helps people who have a borderline indication to conceive. In Assisted Reproductive Technology we have different techniques like IUI, IVF, ICSI, GIFT and GIFT. They are all technologies that help people who are not able to conceive naturally. One year of unprotected sex if it is not fruitful in pregnancy, then the person should get pregnancy with Assisted Reproductive Technology. You should visit the doctor and the doctor will do certain investigations on you like the husband will be checked for his semen analysis, the wife will be checked for follicular studies. Certain blood tests will be done and we will come to know what treatment has to be done on you. Don’t sit back and wait. Please come for treatment immediately"

"When we say GIFT, it means Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer. Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer is a procedure when the fallopian tubes are normal. So a patient has to first undergo a follicular study, a ovum pick up is done, the ovum is retrieved. With the semen wash, a semen sample is procured. Both the gamete are taken together and are transferred via laparoscopy into the fallopian tubes and for this the fallopian tubes have to be good. For this the laparoscopy has to be done. This is a technology which is done when there is unexplained infertility, means the ovulation is proper and the sperm is of good quality and inspite of having normal fallopian tubes, the person is not be to conceive. Generally after waiting for 2 to 3 cycles of an IUI, then this technology is used, this is called as Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer. In this the tube has to be normal and laparoscopy, and one is through a cannula, the gametes are transferred into one third portion of the fallopian tube. What is ZIFT? ZIFT is Zygote Intra Fallopian Transfer. Zygote Intra Fallopian Transfer means an ovum is procured, a sperm count is done, a sperm sample is taken, either by IVF or by ICSI, a zygote is formed and then the embryo that is formed by the artificial technology is then implanted into the fallopian tube. So this is already a baby that is formed.in Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer, just the gametes are transferred. In Zygote Intra Fallopian Transfer, the fertilized embryo is transferred . So it is more effective and there are more chances of fertility in a Zygote Intra Fallopian Transfer. The fallopian tube is of good quality and that is why it is transferred into the fallopian tube. In an IVF and an ICSI cycle, generally the embryos are transferred into the uterine cavity. The ultimate destination is the uterine cavity"

"When you want to know how long it takes for the fertilization after an IUI, you must know what is an IUI. IUI is when a semen sample is not as effective, it has a little low count and the motility is low. So the semen sample is washed. There are different techniques of washing. After washing the semen sample, when the egg has ruptured, we inseminate the girl with the semen sample . This is IUI. It takes atleast 15 days for somebody to know that they are pregnant after IUI. What happens is once IUI is done. The patient feels that the patient is pregnant, it is not that. It takes 15 days for the pregnancy test to come positive in a urine sample. Even in a blood sample you have to cross your dates for the pregnancy to come positive. What happens after IUI is the sperm enters the uterine cavity. The egg from the fallopian tubes is gradually coming towards the uterus and then there is fertilization of this and then implantation of the embryo into the uterine cavity. Only after implantation occurs does the pregnancy test come positive. That is why we have to wait for 15 days after an IUI to know whether you are pregnant. So you don’t expect a pregnancy immediately on the same day after an IUI or the next day after IUI"

"Atleast 15 days after IUI we can do a pregnancy test. It depends on the ovulation. Suppose if you have missed your periods you can do a pregnancy test. In IUI sometime you ovulate soon. If you ovulate on the 8th day, 8 plus 15 will be 23. So you don’t have to cross your dates to know if you are pregnant. A blood test is more specific than a urine pregnancy test. so all these deposits are important when you do an IUI to know when you will get your pregnancy test positive, but ideally you should wait for atleast 15 days to know whether you are pregnant or not. Suppose the urine pregnancy test comes negative after 15 days, you can wait for 5 days more and repeat the pregnancy test. Sometimes pregnancy test doesn’t detect pregnancy even the urine test doesn’t detect, even a sonography may not detect. So I you don’t get your periods, then wait and then again recheck your pregnancy test because sometimes there isolate conception. So you should not be unhappy. You should always be positive and do the test again. Suppose you cross more than 40 days then you have to do a repeat checkup and then find out why it is not happening"

"What is IUI? IUI means washing the sample and inseminating. This sample is crossing the cervical canal without any checks. Generally in a normal pregnancy, there are certain fluids that are therein the cervix that check whether the sperms are of good quality and this is all created by God and that is why the number of birth defects seen in a natural pregnancy are less. However in IUI also with the new techniques of sperm washing and the techniques of analyzing the sperm, generally the most healthy sperm is injected into the uterine cavity. So chances of birth defects are not increased compared to a normal pregnancy. The new reproductive technology, the new systems that are available gives very good quality checking and so good quality sperms are always injected into the uterine cavity. So the chances of birth defects are lesser in pregnancy that is achieved after an IUI"