IVF: The new era

In-vitro fertilization (IVF) has made great strides in the past 25 years in cluding the development of micromanipulation techniques. Intracytoplasmic s perm injection (ICSI) for treatment of severe male factor infertility paved the way for the use of the micromanipulator. Micromanipulation techniques are now an integral part of an IVF program and are now also employed to bio psy embryos from patients harboring genetic abnormalities. Micromanipulatio n has also been used in the development of nuclear transfer techniclues-a p otential solution for creating "younger" oocytes for women of advanced mate rnal age and spermatozoa for azoospermic men. Other recent developments inc lude the sequential media enabling the embryo to survive to blastocyst stag e and also successful oocyte vitrification to preserve future fertility. Th is paper describes the latest technologies in in-vitro fertilization and re lates them to the total problem of infertility, age-related and otherwise.