Assisted Reproductive Technologies (or ART)

Assisted Reproductive Technologies (or "ART"): It is estimated that one out of every six couples will experience some form of a fertility related problem. Recently there have bee approximately 1,500,000 a year that have sought medical treatment for their infertility. Of those who seek treatment, less than half will be rewarded with a pregnancy. For the remaining half (about 750,000 people a year), who are not successful in their use of conventional infertility treatments, the only remaining option for them to begin a family will be some form of assisted reproductive technology (ART). Through the use of ART, more than fifty thousand couples a year will be able to become parents. advertisement

Assisted Reproductive Technologies include oocyte (or egg) donation, embryo donation, in vitro fertilization, artificial insemination and sperm donation. Within each of these areas there are several different medical procedures that are used.

In the United States, pregnancies that occur as the result of the use of ART or drug therapies that induce or stimulate ovulation are more likely to result in multiple births than are pregnancies that result from spontaneous conception.