They are one of more than two million couples in the United States that seek help for infertility every year. Infertility is “the absence of conception after six months to a year of regular, unprotected sexual intercourse”, as defined by Kara Williams (9). Infertility can be caused by a number of things: irregular ovulation, tubal blockages, endometriosis, drug use, stress, inappropriate body weight, low sperm count or motility, damage by infections, and blocked vas deferens. In addition, about 15% of couples have unexplained infertility, in which no cause can be found (Williams 22). Aware of the high rates of infertility, do

ART involves the usage of eggs and sperm. Specifically, the eggs are surgically removed from a woman’s ovaries, fertilized by sperm, then put back into the woman or donated to another woman. ART does not include artificial insemination—in which only sperm is used—or the use of fertility drugs without the intention of egg retrieval. ART procedures available in clinics include: IVF, GIFT, ZIFT, PROST, and TE(S)T. “Although ART is a wonderful option for couples who can’t conceive,” the process is actually “difficult and stressful and requires a committed and emotionally stable couple” (Rosenthal 205).

Before the vaginal ultrasound probe procedure the patient is administered Demerol and Valium (Wisot and Meldrum 103). The patient is positioned as if she was having a pelvic examination and the vaginal area is thoroughly cleaned. Then the probe is placed in the vagina and guides the needle to the follicles. Each follicle is aspirated similar to the laparoscopic procedure. After all the eggs are removed the patient is observed for a small period of time before going home. To increase the chances of pregnancy, women who decide to go through any ART procedure take fertility drugs so that more than one egg matures at a time.

GIFT has better pregnancy rates than IVF, about 35%, mainly because it eliminates the most difficult part of IVF, the embryo transport (Rosenthal 216). GIFT is primarily used for endometriosis, unexplained infertility, and male factor infertility.

In ART procedures eggs are removed from the woman’s ovaries by laparoscopy or a vaginal ultrasound probe. If the eggs are retrieved by laparoscopy the patient is administered either a general or epidural anesthetic. The general anesthetic puts the patient to sleep with drugs or gas, however the epidural anesthetic is more preferred by doctors. The epidural is injected into a space near the spinal cord and numbs the patient from the ribcage

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