ABSTRACT
The field of assisted reproductive techniques (ART), primarily involving in vitro fertilization, embryo culture, and embryo transfer (collectively known as IVF), is now maturing in its development. Since the birth of Louise Brown in 1978, the field 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 roughly 33% in just over 25 years. Equally remarkable is the observation that, throughout the field, many attempts are followed by failure. Hence, despite the improvements of the past quarter century, there remains a need to optimize procedures.
