Treatment - Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer (GIFT)
The GIFT process is the same as for an IVF cycle, up to the point of egg collection. At that stage, a laparoscopy is performed. One or two eggs are placed in a small tube and inserted into the end of the Fallopian tube, with some sperm from the woman's partner. Any excess eggs are taken to the laboratory and fertilized by the partner's sperm. These are checked two or three days later and good embryos can be frozen.
GIFT is very rarely performed in modern IVF units, because it requires laparoscopy at the time of the egg collection, and is now considered un-necessary. The IVF procedure allows assessment of successful fertilization and of the embryo quality before transfer, and success rates for IVF are now significantly better than for GIFT.
