Gamete Intra-Fallopian Transfer (GIFT) is an assisted reproductive technology (ART) designed for women experiencing unexplained infertility but who have healthy fallopian tubes. Unlike traditional in vitro fertilization (IVF), where fertilization occurs in a laboratory, GIFT allows natural fertilization within the fallopian tubes, closely replicating the natural conception process.
The procedure begins with ovarian stimulation, where fertility medications encourage the development of multiple mature eggs. Once the eggs are ready, they are retrieved using a minor surgical procedure. At the same time, the male partner’s sperm is collected, washed, and prepared to ensure the healthiest sperm are used.
Instead of fertilizing the eggs outside the body, as in IVF, the retrieved eggs are mixed with sperm and immediately placed into the woman’s fallopian tubes through a laparoscope, a thin, flexible tube inserted through a small incision. By placing both sperm and eggs at the optimal site for fertilization, GIFT provides a natural environment for conception to occur inside the body. If fertilization is successful, the resulting embryo moves down the fallopian tube into the uterus, where implantation and pregnancy can occur.
Since fertilization occurs naturally inside the body, there is no way to confirm if it was successful immediately after the procedure. However, GIFT may be preferred for those with ethical or religious concerns about fertilizing eggs outside the body. The technique is typically recommended for women with normal ovulation, open fallopian tubes, and no structural reproductive issues, as the success of the procedure depends on the sperm and eggs meeting and fertilizing on their own.
Zygote Intra-Fallopian Transfer (ZIFT) is another advanced ART procedure combining IVF and GIFT elements. Like IVF, fertilization occurs outside the body, but instead of placing the embryos directly into the uterus, ZIFT transfers them into the fallopian tubes for implantation to occur naturally.
The process starts similarly to IVF, with ovarian stimulation to encourage multiple egg development. The mature eggs are retrieved and fertilized with sperm in a laboratory, allowing embryologists to monitor the process. Once fertilization is confirmed, the resulting zygotes (fertilized eggs in the earliest stage of development) are transferred into the fallopian tubes via laparoscopic surgery. The embryos then travel to the uterus naturally, following the body’s normal reproductive timeline.
One of the main advantages of ZIFT is that fertilization is confirmed before embryo transfer, ensuring that only viable embryos are placed into the fallopian tubes. This procedure is especially beneficial for women who have healthy fallopian tubes but have struggled with conception due to male factor infertility or unexplained infertility. It is also a good option for those who prefer an approach that more closely mimics natural conception but allows for fertilization verification before transfer.
Since ZIFT requires laparoscopic surgery for embryo placement, it is a more invasive procedure than standard IVF. However, it offers a high chance of success for selected patients, particularly when a natural implantation process is preferred and fallopian tube function is intact. Both GIFT and ZIFT are specialized fertility treatments that provide alternatives to standard IVF, offering unique benefits depending on individual fertility challenges.
The fertility care industry is often fragmented, forcing patients to navigate multiple providers for different stages of their treatment. At Coastal Fertility, we simplify the steps to fertility by offering a complete, all-inclusive model. Our integrated services help patients manage infertility’s physical, emotional, and financial aspects, ensuring a supportive experience from start to finish.
We believe in complete financial transparency. While some clinics offer lower initial prices only to add unexpected treatment costs later, we ensure our patients know every potential expense before beginning their treatment. There are no hidden fees or surprise charges—every cost is clearly outlined from the start, allowing you to plan your fertility journey.
At Coastal Fertility Medical Center, we welcome and support individuals of all sexual orientations and gender identities in their journey to parenthood. Our fertility specialists receive ongoing LGBTQ+ training to ensure an inclusive, compassionate, and understanding environment. From the first consultation to the final IVF cycle, we take positive steps to provide an experience where every patient feels respected, supported, and valued.
Our globally recognized team of fertility specialists is dedicated to improving IVF technologies for better patient outcomes. At Coastal Fertility, you won’t just rely on one doctor—you’ll benefit from the combined knowledge of multiple experts. Our team holds case review meetings every week, ensuring that each patient benefits from collective insights and a multidisciplinary approach.
Many patients come to us after being turned away by other clinics. We specialize in difficult infertility cases, helping those who may have been considered “hopeless” elsewhere. We consistently achieve IVF cycle success rates well above the industry average through advanced fertility care, internal collaboration, and cutting-edge techniques.
Every patient’s journey is unique, and so is our approach. Unlike facilities with a one-size-fits-all approach, our fertility specialists use more than 40 customized protocols to improve success rates. This personalized strategy extends to our state-of-the-art fertility laboratory, where our on-site lab director and expert team carefully nurture each embryo and egg. By tailoring every step of the IVF process, we help patients take positive steps toward parenthood.
Coastal Fertility Medical Center offers one of the most advanced fertility treatments and is completely transparent regarding the costs of procedures and any other expenses that you may have to pay before commencing your treatment. This differentiates us from some fertility clinics that reduce prices before the signing of the contract but charge you extra later on. We make sure our patients are well aware of any possible extra pricing that may occur over the course of their treatment.
Following the Preimplantation Genetic Screening process, which helps ensure there are normal chromosome numbers and detects possible genetic disorders, the most healthy embryo(s) are selected to be implanted into your or your chosen surrogate’s womb. 2 weeks after the transfer of the embryo, your physician will conduct a final blood test to determine the level of hCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) in your body. Increased hCG levels usually indicate a positive pregnancy test.
For fertilization to take place, the collected egg and sperm are combined in a petri dish and cultured in an embryo incubator. This dish is closely watched to check whether any of the eggs have been fertilized. Once the egg is fertilized, it is referred to as an embryo or a blastocyst on the 5th day of development. Our in-house embryologist carefully nurtures every embryo to the right time, even if it means working outside the standard business operating hours. For instance: If an oocyte is not mature, our laboratory will wait for it to mature and then ICSI it at the right time.
The egg retrieval is a slightly invasive medical procedure that takes about 20 to 30 minutes. You will be given an anesthetic to make you sleep for the duration of the procedure. Using ultrasound technology, your doctor will harvest your eggs transvaginally with a small, hollow needle connected to an ultrasound probe. Once your eggs are collected, your partner’s semen or donor sperm you have pre-selected is used for fertilization. The sperm are washed and prepared, and the top-quality sperm extracted is used to fertilize the eggs.
Your doctor will create a customized medication schedule that contains information about the fertility medications and hormone injections you have to take. Medication and injections are taken to encourage your ovaries to mature a large number of eggs for fertilization. Since women don’t respond to fertility drugs and hormones the same way, personalized protocols are crucial to the IVF cycle success. At Coastal Fertility, we will monitor you closely, letting you understand the changes occurring in your body and keeping track of how your egg follicles are growing.
On-site consultations typicallyinclude a standard fertility evaluation, consisting of a physical examination, complementary follicular ultrasound, and testing to enable your doctor to know your present fertility status and draw up a treatment plan.
This consultation includes a detailed medical evaluation with a doctor. You and your physician will review your health records and have enough time to talk about your goals and get answers to your questions. We recommend that you jot down all your questions before the visit to allow you to make the best use of the time spent with your doctor.
Your Reproductive Endocrinologist will take all factors into consideration and create a comprehensive plan of care, otherwise known as the treatment plan. This plan will include treatment recommendations from the physician and enable your financial coordinator to make a precise quotation once you meet.
Our globally respected team of specialists are helping improve IVF technologies to enter into a generation of better outcomes for infertility. Although you’ll have a doctor guiding you, you are also going to benefit from the experience and insights of other doctors during case review collaboration meetings, which take place every week. So, you won’t just rely on the expertise of a specialist but benefit from the knowledge of many reputed fertility experts.
The infertility industry is currently segmented, with each service or treatment being handled by a different provider. Our all-inclusive model simplifies an otherwise complex and difficult process. We are here to revolutionize the infertility industry by offering a one-stop-service model to assist our patients through infertility challenges while reducing physical, emotional, and financial risks.
Our fertility clinic focuses on helping you build your family regardless of your sexual orientation or the gender you choose to identify with. We are even taking further steps to make LGTB people feel more welcome at our fertility clinic. Each of our patient-facing staff goes through LGTB training to let family-building clinicians provide necessary support and make you feel highly welcome.
We know that every situation is different and that everyone requires different treatments. Unlike facilities that take “a one-size-fits-all” approach for all cases, our fertility specialists use more than 40 customized protocols to raise the chances of success. The customized approach even extends to our fertility laboratory. Our on-site lab director and his highly-experienced team nurture every embryo and egg to increase the odds of success of each cycle.
Our team specializes in difficult cases and help patients who may have been considered “hopeless” at other fertility clinics. Thanks to our personalized solutions, expertise, and internal collaboration, weare able to maximize pregnancy success rates that are well above the industry average, even in difficult infertility cases.
Upon your arrival, you will check in with a Patient Care Coordinator. We will obtain your insurance information for benefits verification, a copy of your identification and take a picture for your electronic medical chart
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