ABSTRACT
The fi eld of assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs), primarily involving in vitro fertilization, embryo culture, and embryo transfer (collectively known as IVF), has matured signifi cantly in its development. Since the birth of Louise Brown in 1978, the fi eld has grown immensely, and its success has improved steadily and impressively (as measured by the incidence of live births per cycle initiated) from less than 1% to a remarkable incidence of over 41% in under 35 years. Equally remarkable is the observation that, throughout the fi eld, the majority of attempts are followed by failure. Hence, despite the improvements of the past third of a century, there remains a need to optimize procedures.
