Legal Definitions - in vitro fertilization

In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) is a medical procedure where an egg is fertilized by sperm outside of the human body, typically in a laboratory setting. Once fertilization occurs and an embryo begins to develop, it is then carefully transferred into a woman's uterus with the aim of achieving a pregnancy.

• Example 1: Overcoming Fallopian Tube Issues

  Sarah and Mark had been trying to conceive for several years without success. After various medical evaluations, doctors determined that Sarah's fallopian tubes were blocked, preventing her eggs from meeting sperm naturally. To overcome this challenge, they pursued IVF. Sarah's eggs were retrieved and fertilized with Mark's sperm in a specialized laboratory dish. The resulting healthy embryos were then transferred directly into Sarah's uterus, bypassing the blocked fallopian tubes entirely. This process clearly illustrates IVF because the fertilization happened "in vitro" (outside the body), and the embryo was subsequently placed into the uterus for potential gestation.

• Example 2: Single Parenthood with Donor Gametes

  Emily, a single woman, decided she wanted to start a family. She chose to use donor sperm to conceive. Emily underwent an IVF cycle where her eggs were retrieved and then fertilized in the laboratory using the selected donor sperm. After successful fertilization and initial embryo development, one of the embryos was transferred into her uterus. This scenario demonstrates IVF as the union of Emily's egg and the donor sperm occurred externally in a lab, and the resulting embryo was then implanted into her body to achieve pregnancy.

• Example 3: Preimplantation Genetic Testing

  David and Lisa were both carriers for a specific genetic disorder and wanted to ensure their child would not inherit the condition. They opted for IVF combined with preimplantation genetic testing (PGT). Lisa's eggs were retrieved and fertilized with David's sperm in the laboratory. Once the embryos developed to a certain stage, a few cells were carefully biopsied from each embryo and tested for the genetic disorder. Only embryos confirmed to be free of the condition were then transferred into Lisa's uterus. This application of IVF highlights the "fertilization outside the body" aspect, which allows for genetic screening of embryos before they are "inserted into the womb."