ZIFT, IUT, GIFT and ICSI

ZIFT, IUT, GIFT and ICSI

These four procedures share the IVF-style idea of handling gametes or embryos outside the body, but each places its material at a different stage and location:

Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer (ZIFT): As in IVF, a zygote is cultured up to the 8-blastomere stage, but instead of going straight to the uterus it is transferred into the fallopian tube by laparoscopy. From there it continues dividing naturally and migrates on its own toward the uterus to implant — mimicking the natural post-fertilization journey more closely than a direct-to-uterus transfer would.

Intra-Uterine Transfer (IUT): Here an embryo that has already developed beyond the 8-blastomere stage is placed directly into the uterus to complete its development, skipping the fallopian-tube stage entirely.

Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer (GIFT): Unlike ZIFT and IUT, GIFT transfers unfertilized material — an ovum (often collected from a donor) is placed together with sperm directly into one of the fallopian tubes, so that fertilization itself happens inside the woman's body rather than in the lab. The resulting zygote then travels to the uterus and implants naturally, just as in a normal conception. …