{"id":35,"date":"2026-08-30T12:05:12","date_gmt":"2026-08-30T12:05:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology\/"},"modified":"2026-10-11T09:19:51","modified_gmt":"2026-10-11T09:19:51","slug":"types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology\/","title":{"rendered":"Types of Assisted Reproductive Technology, in Plain Language"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The types of assisted reproductive technology come down to a short list: IUI, IVF, ICSI, frozen embryo transfer, treatment with donor eggs or sperm, and genetic testing of embryos, and each one exists to solve a different obstacle. Fertility treatment still arrives as a wall of acronyms, usually at a moment when you have limited capacity for new vocabulary. 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the obstacle each one solves, what actually separates IVF from ICSI, why frozen transfers became so common, the shape of a cycle stage by stage, and the five questions worth taking to your appointment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"msq\" id=\"ms-quiz\" data-slug=\"types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology\" data-category=\"treatment explained\" data-list=\"1\">\n<style>.msq,.msq-hook,.msq-box,.msq-end,.msq-tool{--msq-accent:#1F4E79;--msq-accent-text:#FFFFFF;--msq-line:#CBD8E6;--msq-warn:#B4531A;--msq-muted:#4A5560;--msq-tint:#EEF3F8;--msq-base:#FFFFFF}\n.msq{margin:1.25em 0 1.75em}\n.msq-hook{border-left:3px solid var(--msq-accent);padding:6px 14px;color:var(--msq-muted);font-size:.97em}\n.msq-box{background:var(--msq-tint);border:1px solid var(--msq-line);border-radius:12px;padding:0}\n.msq-box>summary{cursor:pointer;list-style:none;padding:14px 18px;font-weight:700;color:var(--msq-accent)}\n.msq-box>summary::-webkit-details-marker{display:none}\n.msq-box>summary::before{content:\"+\";display:inline-block;width:1.1em;font-weight:800}\n.msq-box[open]>summary::before{content:\"\\00d7\"}\n.msq-body{padding:2px 18px 18px}\n.msq-intro{margin:0 0 12px;font-size:.95em;color:var(--msq-muted)}\n.msq-list{margin:0;padding:0;list-style:none}\n.msq-q{margin:0 0 18px;padding:0}\n.msq-question{font-weight:700;margin:0 0 8px}\n.msq-options{display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:8px}\n.msq-opt{text-align:left;background:var(--msq-base);border:1px solid var(--msq-line);border-radius:8px;padding:10px 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0 6px;font-size:1.15em}\n.msq-tool p{margin:0 0 10px}\n.msq-tool .msq-note{font-size:.85em;color:var(--msq-muted);margin:10px 0 0}\n.msq-check label{display:flex;gap:10px;align-items:flex-start;padding:9px 0;border-bottom:1px solid var(--msq-line);cursor:pointer;line-height:1.4}\n.msq-check label:last-of-type{border-bottom:0}\n.msq-check input{margin-top:5px;flex:0 0 auto;width:18px;height:18px;accent-color:var(--msq-accent)}\n.msq-check-count{font-weight:700;margin:10px 0 0}\n.msq-verdict-box{margin:12px 0 0;padding:10px 14px;border-radius:8px;background:var(--msq-base);border-left:3px solid var(--msq-warn)}\n.msq-verdict-box[hidden]{display:none}\n.msq-calc{display:grid;grid-template-columns:1fr 1fr;gap:10px 16px}\n.msq-calc label{display:flex;flex-direction:column;gap:4px;font-size:.92em}\n.msq-calc input,.msq-calc select{padding:8px 10px;border:1px solid var(--msq-muted);border-radius:8px;font:inherit;background:#fff}\n.msq-calc-out{grid-column:1 \/ -1;margin-top:6px;padding:12px 14px;background:var(--msq-base);border-radius:8px;border:1px solid var(--msq-line)}\n.msq-calc-out strong{font-size:1.15em}\n.msq-choose label{display:block;padding:9px 12px;margin:0 0 8px;background:var(--msq-base);border:1px solid var(--msq-line);border-radius:8px;cursor:pointer}\n.msq-choose input{margin-right:8px;accent-color:var(--msq-accent)}\n.msq-choice-result{margin-top:10px;padding:12px 14px;background:var(--msq-base);border-left:3px solid var(--msq-accent);border-radius:0 8px 8px 0}\n.msq-choice-result[hidden]{display:none}\n@media (max-width:600px){.msq-calc{grid-template-columns:1fr}}\nh2.wp-block-heading[id]{scroll-margin-top:24px}<\/style>\n<noscript><style>.msq-explain{display:block !important}<\/style><\/noscript>\n<details class=\"msq-box\">\n<summary>Think you already know this? Five questions, one minute.<\/summary>\n<div class=\"msq-body\">\n<p class=\"msq-intro\">Every answer is on this page. Answer from what you know now; the page fills in the rest.<\/p>\n<ol class=\"msq-list\">\n<li class=\"msq-q\" data-q=\"1\" data-answer=\"b\" data-title=\"The main treatments\" data-section=\"#the-main-treatments\">\n<p class=\"msq-question\">1. Which treatment injects a single sperm directly into an egg?<\/p>\n<div class=\"msq-options\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Question 1 options\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"a\">IUI<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"b\">ICSI<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"c\">PGT<\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"msq-explain\" hidden><span class=\"msq-verdict\"><\/span>It exists for sperm that cannot fertilise an egg unaided, per the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/explore-all-treatments\/intracytoplasmic-sperm-injection-icsi\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HFEA&#8217;s description of ICSI<\/a>; where that is not the obstacle it adds nothing. <a class=\"msq-section\" href=\"#the-main-treatments\">Read the section<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"msq-q\" data-q=\"2\" data-answer=\"b\" data-title=\"IUI, the simplest\" data-section=\"#iui-the-simplest\">\n<p class=\"msq-question\">2. In IUI, where does fertilisation happen?<\/p>\n<div class=\"msq-options\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Question 2 options\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"a\">In a laboratory dish<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"b\">Inside the body, after prepared sperm is placed in the uterus around ovulation<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"c\">In a freezer<\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"msq-explain\" hidden><span class=\"msq-verdict\"><\/span>Per the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/explore-all-treatments\/intrauterine-insemination-iui\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HFEA&#8217;s page on IUI<\/a>; it is less invasive and less expensive than IVF, with a lower success rate per cycle. <a class=\"msq-section\" href=\"#iui-the-simplest\">Read the section<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"msq-q\" data-q=\"3\" data-answer=\"a\" data-title=\"IVF and ICSI, and what separates them\" data-section=\"#ivf-and-icsi-and-what-separates-them\">\n<p class=\"msq-question\">3. According to the HFEA, for how long are embryos allowed to develop in the laboratory before transfer?<\/p>\n<div class=\"msq-options\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Question 3 options\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"a\">Between two and six days<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"b\">Exactly ten days<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"c\">Three weeks<\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"msq-explain\" hidden><span class=\"msq-verdict\"><\/span>Per the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/explore-all-treatments\/in-vitro-fertilisation-ivf\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HFEA&#8217;s description of IVF<\/a>; after fertilisation the IVF and ICSI routes look identical. <a class=\"msq-section\" href=\"#ivf-and-icsi-and-what-separates-them\">Read the section<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"msq-q\" data-q=\"4\" data-answer=\"b\" data-title=\"Fresh and frozen transfer\" data-section=\"#fresh-and-frozen-transfer\">\n<p class=\"msq-question\">4. What is one reason frozen transfers became so common?<\/p>\n<div class=\"msq-options\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Question 4 options\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"a\">They cost nothing<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"b\">A later cycle lets hormone levels and the lining recover from stimulation first<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"c\">They need no medication at all<\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"msq-explain\" hidden><span class=\"msq-verdict\"><\/span>It also changes the two week wait, because there is no recent retrieval and usually no trigger shot to confuse a home test. <a class=\"msq-section\" href=\"#fresh-and-frozen-transfer\">Read the section<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"msq-q\" data-q=\"5\" data-answer=\"a\" data-title=\"Genetic testing\" data-section=\"#genetic-testing\">\n<p class=\"msq-question\">5. What does PGT involve?<\/p>\n<div class=\"msq-options\" role=\"group\" aria-label=\"Question 5 options\"><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"a\">Removing a small number of cells from an embryo and testing them before transfer<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"b\">A blood test for the mother<\/button><button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-opt\" data-opt=\"c\">An extra ultrasound<\/button><\/div>\n<p class=\"msq-explain\" hidden><span class=\"msq-verdict\"><\/span>It is used in defined circumstances rather than as standard, per the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/embryo-testing-and-treatments-for-disease\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">HFEA&#8217;s embryo testing pages<\/a>, and it adds cost and involves a biopsy of the embryo. <a class=\"msq-section\" href=\"#genetic-testing\">Read the section<\/a><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<div class=\"msq-result\" hidden><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<script>(function(){\n  if (window.__msqInit) { return; }\n  window.__msqInit = true;\n  var root = document.getElementById('ms-quiz');\n  if (!root) { return; }\n  var meta = { slug: root.getAttribute('data-slug'), category: root.getAttribute('data-category'),\n               list: root.getAttribute('data-list') || '1' };\n  function qs(el, s){ return el.querySelector(s); }\n  function qsa(el, s){ return Array.prototype.slice.call(el.querySelectorAll(s)); }\n  function track(name, params){\n    try { if (typeof gtag === 'function') { var p = params || {}; p.article = meta.slug; gtag('event', name, p); } } catch (e) {}\n  }\n  function jumpList(missed){\n    if (!missed.length) { return ''; }\n    return '<ul class=\"msq-jump\">' + missed.map(function(q){\n      return '<li><a href=\"' + q.getAttribute('data-section') + '\">' + q.getAttribute('data-title') + '<\/a><\/li>';\n    }).join('') + '<\/ul>';\n  }\n  function emailForm(){\n    return '<div class=\"msq-sub\"><p><strong>Get the next one.<\/strong> We publish new articles on ' + meta.category\n      + ' most weeks and recheck this page on Sundays. 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A delegated listener finds it at click time. *\/\n  document.addEventListener('click', function(e){\n    var startBtn = (e.target && e.target.closest) ? e.target.closest('.msq-start-test') : null;\n    if (!startBtn) { return; }\n    var end = startBtn.closest('.msq-end');\n    if (!end) { return; }\n    var mount = qs(end, '.msq-mount');\n    var clone = qs(root, '.msq-body').cloneNode(true);\n    var intro = qs(clone, '.msq-intro');\n    if (intro) { intro.textContent = 'The same five questions, now that you have read the page.'; }\n    var res = qs(clone, '.msq-result'); if (res) { res.hidden = true; res.innerHTML = ''; }\n    mount.innerHTML = ''; mount.appendChild(clone);\n    setup(mount, 'test');\n    startBtn.hidden = true;\n    track('quiz_open', { mode: 'test' });\n    mount.scrollIntoView({ behavior: 'smooth', block: 'start' });\n    var first = qs(mount, '.msq-opt'); if (first) { first.focus({ preventScroll: true }); }\n  });\n  \/* Shared tool behaviour: checklists remember their ticks on this device, and a chooser\n     shows the result for the option picked. Calculators carry their own small script. *\/\n  function initTools(){\n    qsa(document, '.msq-check').forEach(function(box){\n      var key = 'msq-check-' + meta.slug + '-' + (box.getAttribute('data-id') || 'x');\n      var boxes = qsa(box, 'input[type=checkbox]'), count = qs(box, '.msq-check-count');\n      var yes = qs(box, '.msq-verdict-yes'), no = qs(box, '.msq-verdict-no');\n      var saved = {};\n      try { saved = JSON.parse(localStorage.getItem(key) || '{}'); } catch (e) {}\n      boxes.forEach(function(cb, i){ if (saved[i]) { cb.checked = true; } });\n      function refresh(){\n        var n = boxes.filter(function(cb){ return cb.checked; }).length, state = {};\n        boxes.forEach(function(cb, i){ if (cb.checked) { state[i] = 1; } });\n        try { localStorage.setItem(key, JSON.stringify(state)); } catch (e) {}\n        if (count) { count.textContent = n + ' of ' + boxes.length + (box.getAttribute('data-verb') || ' done'); }\n        if (yes && no) { yes.hidden = n === 0; no.hidden = n !== 0; }\n      }\n      boxes.forEach(function(cb){ cb.addEventListener('change', function(){ refresh(); track('tool_check', { tool: box.getAttribute('data-id') }); }); });\n      refresh();\n    });\n    qsa(document, '.msq-choose').forEach(function(box){\n      var results = qsa(box, '.msq-choice-result');\n      qsa(box, 'input[type=radio]').forEach(function(r){\n        r.addEventListener('change', function(){\n          results.forEach(function(el){ el.hidden = el.getAttribute('data-for') !== r.value; });\n          track('tool_choose', { tool: box.getAttribute('data-id'), choice: r.value });\n        });\n      });\n    });\n  }\n  \/\/ read progress: how far down the article the reader has scrolled, fired once per quarter\n  (function(){\n    var art = root.closest('article') || root.parentNode, fired = {};\n    function check(){\n      var top = art.getBoundingClientRect().top + window.pageYOffset, h = art.offsetHeight || 1;\n      var seen = (window.pageYOffset + window.innerHeight - top) \/ h * 100;\n      [25, 50, 75, 100].forEach(function(m){ if (seen >= m && !fired[m]) { fired[m] = true; track('read_progress', { percent: m }); } });\n    }\n    window.addEventListener('scroll', check, { passive: true }); window.addEventListener('load', check);\n  })();\n  if (document.readyState === 'loading') { document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', initTools); } else { initTools(); }\n})();<\/script>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The thing worth understanding first: these are not a ladder from basic to advanced. They are different tools for different obstacles. Using a more complex treatment does not improve your chances if the complexity addresses something that was never the problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-main-treatments\">The main treatments<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th>Name<\/th><th>What happens<\/th><th>Typically used when<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/explore-all-treatments\/intrauterine-insemination-iui\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">IUI<\/a><\/td><td>Prepared sperm placed into the uterus, fertilisation happens inside the body<\/td><td>Mild issues, unexplained infertility, donor sperm<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/explore-all-treatments\/in-vitro-fertilisation-ivf\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">IVF<\/a><\/td><td>Eggs retrieved, combined with sperm in a laboratory, embryo transferred<\/td><td>Tubal issues, unexplained infertility, when IUI has not worked<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/explore-all-treatments\/intracytoplasmic-sperm-injection-icsi\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">ICSI<\/a><\/td><td>A single sperm injected directly into an egg, then as IVF<\/td><td>Sperm quality issues, previous fertilisation failure<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/fertility-preservation\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Frozen transfer<\/a><\/td><td>An embryo frozen earlier is thawed and transferred<\/td><td>Very common, allows recovery from stimulation first<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/explore-all-treatments\/using-donated-eggs-sperm-or-embryos-in-treatment\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Donor eggs or sperm<\/a><\/td><td>Donor material used in an IVF or IUI cycle<\/td><td>Where own gametes are not viable or available<\/td><\/tr><tr><td><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/embryo-testing-and-treatments-for-disease\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">PGT<\/a><\/td><td>Embryo cells tested before transfer<\/td><td>Specific genetic circumstances, recurrent loss, older age<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"iui-the-simplest\">IUI, the simplest<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sperm is prepared and placed directly into the uterus around ovulation. Fertilisation, if it happens, happens inside the body exactly as it normally would.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is less invasive, less expensive and less demanding than IVF, and its success rate per cycle is lower. It suits situations where the obstacle is relatively mild, or where donor sperm is being used without any other complicating factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1200\" height=\"627\" src=\"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-2.jpg\" alt=\"Scientist working in a fertility laboratory\" class=\"wp-image-34\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-2.jpg 1200w, https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-2-300x157.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-2-1024x535.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-2-768x401.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1200px) 100vw, 1200px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-image__caption\">Which treatment suits depends on the underlying reason, not on which sounds most advanced.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"ivf-and-icsi-and-what-separates-them\">IVF and ICSI, and what separates them<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In conventional IVF, eggs are retrieved and placed together with sperm in the laboratory, and fertilisation is left to happen on its own. In ICSI, an embryologist selects a single sperm and injects it directly into an egg.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">ICSI exists to solve a specific problem: sperm that cannot fertilise an egg unaided, whether through low count, poor motility or a previous cycle where fertilisation did not occur. Where that is not the obstacle, ICSI does not add anything, and it is worth asking why it is being suggested if it is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After fertilisation, both routes look identical. Embryos are cultured for a few days, between two and six according to the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/treatments\/explore-all-treatments\/in-vitro-fertilisation-ivf\/\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">HFEA&#8217;s description of IVF<\/a>, assessed, and one is transferred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1376\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-lab.jpg\" alt=\"Empty embryology laboratory bench with a microscope and incubator, where the types of assisted reproductive technology diverge\" class=\"wp-image-266\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-lab.jpg 1376w, https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-lab-300x167.jpg 300w, https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-lab-1024x572.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-lab-768x429.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1376px) 100vw, 1376px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-image__caption\">After fertilisation the IVF and ICSI routes look identical: a few days of culture, then one embryo is chosen for transfer.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fresh-and-frozen-transfer\">Fresh and frozen transfer<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A fresh transfer places an embryo during the same cycle as the egg retrieval. A frozen transfer freezes embryos and transfers one in a later cycle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Frozen transfers have become extremely common. The HFEA&#8217;s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/about-us\/publications\/research-and-data\/fertility-treatment-2024-trends-and-figures\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Fertility treatment 2024: trends and figures<\/a>, published 16 June 2026, puts them at 48 percent of all IVF cycles in the UK in 2024, with around 53,000 patients treated and an average birth rate of 30 percent per embryo transferred. One reason is straightforward: stimulation puts the body through a great deal, and a later cycle allows hormone levels and the uterine lining to return to something more ordinary before transfer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It also changes the two week wait practically. There is no recent retrieval, so there are fewer explanations for pain and bleeding, and usually no trigger shot to confuse a home test. <a href=\"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/home-pregnancy-test-after-ivf\/\">testing at home<\/a> covers why that matters. Whether the frozen cycle itself is medicated or natural is a separate decision, and <a href=\"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/medicated-vs-natural-fet\/\">what the big trials found comparing medicated and natural frozen cycles<\/a> takes that question on.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"genetic-testing\">Genetic testing<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">PGT involves removing a small number of cells from an embryo and testing them before transfer. It is used in defined circumstances rather than as standard: known genetic conditions in the family, recurrent losses, or sometimes as a factor of age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is not a guarantee, it adds cost, and it involves a biopsy of the embryo. The opening the lab makes for that biopsy is often confused with a separate lab extra, and our explainer on <a href=\"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/assisted-zona-hatching\/\">what the guidelines say about assisted zona hatching<\/a> sets the two apart. Whether it is appropriate is a real conversation with your clinic rather than something to decide from an article.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Whatever is being proposed for you, the most useful question you can ask is why this rather than something else. The reasoning tells you what your clinic believes the obstacle is, and understanding that makes the entire process less bewildering than following instructions you do not understand.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-a-cycle-actually-involves\">What a cycle actually involves<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The acronyms describe the technique. This is the shape of the experience, which nobody explains clearly at the start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th>Stage<\/th><th>Roughly how long<\/th><th>What it involves<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Preparation<\/td><td>Days to weeks<\/td><td>Medication to suppress or regulate the cycle<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Stimulation<\/td><td>Around ten to fourteen days<\/td><td>Daily injections, frequent scans and blood tests<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Trigger and collection<\/td><td>A few days<\/td><td>A timed injection, then a procedure under sedation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Fertilisation and culture<\/td><td>Three to six days<\/td><td>Laboratory work, daily updates from the embryologist<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Transfer<\/td><td>One appointment<\/td><td>Quick, usually without sedation<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>The two week wait<\/td><td>Around a fortnight<\/td><td>Progesterone support, and waiting<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The stimulation phase is the one people underestimate. It is not the injections so much as the frequency of appointments, often early in the morning, often before work, for two weeks. Arranging your life around it is a substantial part of what makes treatment tiring.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"900\" src=\"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-chart.png\" alt=\"Timeline of the stages of an IVF cycle, one of the main types of assisted reproductive technology, from preparation to the two week wait\" class=\"wp-image-265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-chart.png 1600w, https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-chart-300x169.png 300w, https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-chart-1024x576.png 1024w, https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-chart-768x432.png 768w, https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/types-of-assisted-reproductive-technology-chart-1536x864.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-block-image__caption\">Drawn from the cycle table on this page. The stimulation phase is the one people underestimate: not the injections so much as two weeks of early appointments. Culture length per the HFEA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"the-part-that-is-not-medical\">The part that is not medical<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Treatment is expensive, time consuming and emotionally heavy, and the fact that this is a medical article does not make those less real.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Most people underestimate the emotional load in particular, partly because the process is presented in clinical terms that make it sound procedural. Cycles can be cancelled. Numbers can disappoint at every stage. And the whole thing runs on a schedule set by biology rather than by what is convenient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">None of that is a reason not to do it. It is a reason to expect it, to accept help, and to be less surprised when a straightforward sounding appointment leaves you flattened.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"questions-worth-taking-to-your-appointment\">Questions worth taking to your appointment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>What do you think the main obstacle is in our case?<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Why this treatment rather than the simpler or the more complex option?<\/li>\n\n\n<li>Fresh or frozen transfer, and why that one for me?<\/li>\n\n\n<li>What would change your recommendation if this cycle does not work?<\/li>\n\n\n<li>What are the realistic expectations for someone in my situation, rather than the clinic average?<\/li>\n\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That last question matters. Published success rates are averages across everyone a clinic treats, and your own situation may sit some distance from the average in either direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If you are already in the two week wait, <a href=\"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/signs-of-implantation\/\">what symptoms can and cannot tell you<\/a> covers what the fortnight is actually like and what the symptoms can and cannot tell you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"msq-tool msq-check\" data-id=\"appointment-questions\" data-verb=\" asked\">\n<h3>The five questions worth taking to your appointment<\/h3>\n<p>The most useful question you can ask about any treatment is why this rather than something else. Tick each one once you have asked it and written the answer down.<\/p>\n<label><input type=\"checkbox\">What do you think the main obstacle is in our case?<\/label>\n<label><input type=\"checkbox\">Why this treatment rather than the simpler or the more complex option?<\/label>\n<label><input type=\"checkbox\">Fresh or frozen transfer, and why that one for me?<\/label>\n<label><input type=\"checkbox\">What would change your recommendation if this cycle does not work?<\/label>\n<label><input type=\"checkbox\">What are the realistic expectations for someone in my situation, rather than the clinic average?<\/label>\n<p class=\"msq-check-count\"><\/p>\n<p class=\"msq-note\">A list of questions for your clinic, not a way of choosing a treatment. Ticks are saved on this device only.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-has-changed-since-this-was-first-published\">What has changed since this was first published?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The treatments themselves do not change from week to week. The figures around them do, so this page is rechecked on the weekly refresh and the entries below carry a date and a source.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n\n<li>11 October 2026: the HFEA published <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/about-us\/publications\/research-and-data\/fertility-treatment-2024-trends-and-figures\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">Fertility treatment 2024: trends and figures<\/a> on 16 June 2026. Its headline numbers, frozen transfers at 48 percent of all IVF cycles, around 53,000 patients treated and a 30 percent birth rate per embryo transferred, are now in the frozen transfer section above. The same report puts the share of cycles funded by the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.hfea.gov.uk\/about-us\/publications\/research-and-data\/fertility-treatment-2024-trends-and-figures\" rel=\"nofollow noopener\" target=\"_blank\">NHS<\/a> at 28 percent in 2024, down from 35 percent in 2019, and marks the 2024 birth data as preliminary.<\/li>\n\n\n<li>11 October 2026: the six HFEA treatment pages this page links were checked and are live. Their wording was not re-read on this pass, so the two to six day culture figure stands as verified on 25 September 2026.<\/li>\n\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"frequently-asked-questions\">Frequently asked questions<\/h2>\n\n\n<div id=\"rank-math-faq\" class=\"rank-math-block\">\n<div class=\"rank-math-list \">\n<div id=\"faq-q-1\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is the difference between IVF and ICSI?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>In conventional IVF, eggs and sperm are placed together and fertilisation happens on its own. In ICSI a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. ICSI is generally used where sperm quality or previous fertilisation problems make the conventional approach less likely to work.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-q-2\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Is IUI a type of IVF?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>No. IUI places prepared sperm directly into the uterus and fertilisation happens inside the body. IVF involves retrieving eggs and fertilising them in a laboratory. IUI is simpler, less invasive and less expensive, with lower success rates per cycle.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-q-3\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Is a frozen transfer worse than a fresh one?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Not inherently, and frozen transfers have become very common. Freezing allows the body to recover from stimulation before transfer, which suits some people better. Which is appropriate depends on your cycle and your clinic&#8217;s assessment.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-q-4\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">What is PGT?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Preimplantation genetic testing, where a small number of cells are taken from an embryo and tested before transfer. It is used in specific circumstances rather than routinely, and whether it is worthwhile is a genuine discussion to have with your clinic.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-q-5\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Does a more advanced treatment mean a better chance?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>No. These are different tools for different problems, not a ladder from basic to advanced. ICSI does not improve outcomes where fertilisation was never the issue, and using the right treatment for your situation matters more than using the most complex one.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div id=\"faq-q-6\" class=\"rank-math-list-item\">\n<h3 class=\"rank-math-question \">Why did my clinic recommend one over another?<\/h3>\n<div class=\"rank-math-answer \">\n\n<p>Because of what they think the underlying obstacle is. That reasoning is worth asking about directly. Understanding why a particular route was chosen makes the whole process considerably less bewildering.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"msq-end\" id=\"ms-quiz-end\">\n<p><strong>Finished the page?<\/strong> The same five questions from the top, to see what stuck.<\/p>\n<button type=\"button\" class=\"msq-btn msq-start-test\">Test Your Understanding of This Article<\/button>\n<div class=\"msq-mount\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>This article is general information, not medical advice, and is not a substitute for care from a qualified healthcare professional. Speak to your doctor about your own situation.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IVF, ICSI, IUI, fresh and frozen, donor options and genetic testing, without the acronym soup.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":33,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","rank_math_title":"Types of Assisted Reproductive Technology, in Plain Language","rank_math_description":"IVF, ICSI, IUI, fresh and frozen transfer, donor options and genetic testing, explained plainly for someone who has just been handed a protocol full of acronyms.","rank_math_focus_keyword":"assisted reproductive technology types","rank_math_canonical_url":"","rank_math_breadcrumb_title":"","rank_math_facebook_title":"","rank_math_facebook_description":"","rank_math_facebook_image":"","rank_math_twitter_title":"","rank_math_twitter_description":"","rank_math_twitter_image":"","rank_math_pillar_content":"","rank_math_robots":[],"rank_math_advanced_robots":[]},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-understanding-ivf"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=35"}],"version-history":[{"count":12,"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":573,"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35\/revisions\/573"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=35"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=35"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ivfprep.guide\/articles\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=35"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}