G.I.F.T or gamete intrafallopian transfer is one of the assisted reproduction techniques used for treating infertility problems. Read on to learn more about G.I.F.T.G.I.F.T or gamete intrafallopian transfer technique was first tried by a British obstetrician and gynaecologist named Patrick Christopher Steptoe along with an English physiologist Robert Edwards. Both of them are well known for their exceptional contribution in the field of assisted reproduction. The G.I.F.T technique allows fertilization of an egg inside women’s body. Let us find out more about
G.I.F.T technique which is used for treating
infertility.
What is G.I.F.T.?
This is an alternative technique for treating infertility. G.I.F.T. stands for Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer. The word gamete refers to the sex cells, i.e. both eggs and sperm.
How does the G.I.F.T. method work?
In the G.I.F.T. method, eggs are retrieved from the ovaries as in I.V.F. using either laparoscopy or T.U.D.O.R. These eggs are then transferred with a specially prepared sperm sample into the outer fimbrial opening of the fallopian tube by laparoscopy under a general anaesthetic.
How long does it take to complete one cycle of G.I.F.T.?
One cycle of G.I.F.T. ideally takes four to six weeks to complete. For undergoing this treatment a woman has to take fertility drugs as prescribed by the doctor in order to stimulate the ovaries to produce eggs. After that the doctor will keep the growth of ovarian follicles in the woman under observation. Once the eggs become mature, human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is injected in woman. Roughly after 36 hours, eggs are retrieved and mixed with sperms and transferred to the fallopian tubes of woman with the help of laparoscopy.
What are the advantages of G.I.F.T.?
The advantage that G.I.F.T. offers is that it allows fertilisation to take place naturally within the fallopian tube with a higher chance that implantation will also occur naturally. The obvious requirement is that the tubes must be patent and healthy. G.I.F.T. therefore offers an alternative treatment to couples where I.V.F may have been the only other option.
What other treatments involve injection of sperm?
In addition to G.I.F.T., other techniques that involve the injection of sperm alone, or with retrieved eggs into the peritoneal cavity via the vagina, such as V.I.S.P.E.R. (Vaginal Injection of Sperm Peritoneally) are at present being evaluated. It is hoped that techniques such as V.I.S.P.E.R. will be more straightforward to perform than G.I.F.T., and will, if performed under the control of ultrasound guidance alone, remove the need for a general anaesthetic, which is always associated with laparoscopy.
When is G.I.F.T technique opted?
The G.I.F.T technique is opted when a couple prefers fertilization to happen inside mother’s body pertaining to some ethical reasons. This technique is also used in case of
infertility issues in men like sperm dysfunction or in case if the cause of infertility is not known. But for G.I.F.T technique to work, at least one of the fallopian tubes of woman is required to be healthy.
What is the success rate of G.I.F.T technique?
Ideally the success rate of any infertility treatment is determined by the quality of the eggs and sperms as well as the age of the couples. As per the estimate, nearly 25 to 30% of G.I.F.T cycles turnout to be a successful pregnancy. The first successful G.I.F.T baby Todd Holden was born in October 1986 in UK.
What is the difference between G.I.F.T and I.V.F?
One of the notable differences between G.I.F.T and I.V.F is that in G.I.F.T technique the fertilization of egg takes place inside the fallopian tube of woman whereas in case of I.V.F the fertilization is takes place in the laboratory. In the laboratory settings used for I.V.F. the sperms are allowed to fertilize the egg in the tube.
The G.I.F.T technique of assisted reproduction may not be suitable for the women who are coping with blocked fallopian tubes or those who do not have fallopian tubes. In this case I.V.F or
in-vitro fertilization can be a viable option for them.