What is a gamete intrafallopian tube transfer?

A gamete intrafallopian tube transfer (GIFT) is a laparoscopic procedure where eggs are removed by laparoscopy, mixed outside the body with sperm and injected into the fallopian tube with a catheter. The procedure can be completed on one day.

What happens during the procedure?

GIFT is a procedure which involves:

1. Stimulating a woman's eggs using medication
2. Performing a laparoscopy to remove eggs  
3. Mixing the eggs with sperm outside the body inside a dish
4. Placing the sperm/egg mixture immediately into the fallopian tube with a small catheter.

Today, GIFT is considered outdated because IVF has a higher success rate and does not involve laparoscopic surgery.

What are the differences between GIFT and IVF?

• GIFT has a lower success rate than IVF and requires functioning fallopian tubes.
• GIFT does not involve embryo culture. This enables some patients to try getting pregnant without addressing the ethical concern about how many embryos to create or transfer.
• IVF is more appropriate for women who have more severe infertility concerns such as low sperm count and fallopian tube problems.
• In an IVF procedure, the best quality embryos can be selected on day 3 or day 5 for transfer, whereas GIFT places unfertilized eggs and sperm in the tubes.
• In the GIFT procedure, the transfer of gametes into the tube requires an extra surgical procedure called laparoscopy.