(N/A) Assisted Reproductive Technologies $(ART)$ are specialized medical techniques used to help infertile couples conceive and have children.
Importance: These technologies provide hope to couples who are unable to conceive naturally due to various medical reasons,such as blocked fallopian tubes,low sperm count,or ovulation disorders.
Methods under $ART$:
$(i)$ $IVF$ (In Vitro Fertilization): Fertilization occurs outside the body in laboratory conditions. The zygote or early embryos (up to $8$ blastomeres) are transferred into the fallopian tube,known as $ZIFT$ (Zygote Intra Fallopian Transfer). Embryos with more than $8$ blastomeres are transferred into the uterus,known as $IUT$ (Intra Uterine Transfer).
$(ii)$ $GIFT$ (Gamete Intra Fallopian Transfer): An ovum collected from a donor is transferred into the fallopian tube of another female who cannot produce an ovum but can provide a suitable environment for fertilization and development.
$(iii)$ $ICSI$ (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection): $A$ specialized procedure where a single sperm is directly injected into the ovum to form an embryo in the laboratory.
$(iv)$ $AI$ (Artificial Insemination): Semen collected from the husband or a healthy donor is artificially introduced into the vagina or uterus ($IUI$ - Intra Uterine Insemination) of the female to treat cases of male infertility.