A miscarriage can happen due to various health conditions or external factors that will affect the health of the fetus. The Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer, also known as GIFT, is an assisted conception technique that may be employed after miscarriage, provided the miscarriage has been due to a problem affecting the reproductive system of the woman or is idiopathic. If the Fallopian tubes are damaged, GIFT is not possible.
GIFT Method
The GIFT method was invented by an endocrinologist, Ricardo Asch, and involves taking the egg of the mother and the sperm and placing these on one of the Fallopian tubes.
The entire GIFT cycle takes up to 6 weeks. The mother will have to be under hormonal therapy that will stimulate the production of an egg. When the egg matures, it will be injected with a solution of chorionic gonadotropin and then it will be extracted and placed with the father’s sperm facilitating the fertilization of the egg. The fertilization will take place outside the mother’s body. The solution will be then implanted in the Fallopian tube of the mother using laparoscopy.
GIFT after Miscarriage
GIFT is recommended for women that have fertility issues or have had 1 or several miscarriages (which may be idiopathic). The fertility doctor will establish if the mother is a good candidate for GIFT. Not all women qualify for Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer after miscarriage, as the Fallopian tubes may be damaged.
GIFT may only be performed if the mother has at least 1 healthy Fallopian tube. After a miscarriage, the mother should wait for at least 6 weeks before applying the Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer, to allow the body to recover and regain balance.
GIFT Success Rates
The success rates of Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer depend greatly on the age of the mother, her overall health and the quality of the harvested egg.
The success rates of GIFT have been established to be between 25 to 30%. However, in women that have already had a miscarriage, the success rates may be lower. Several GIFT procedures may be applied until a successful fertilization takes place.
GIFT Side Effects and Risks
If a Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer cycle is successful, this may result in twins or triplets, even in women after miscarriage. This is due to the fact that the egg may be divided during the time it is outside. About 33% of the success cases of Gamete Intrafallopian Transfer result in multiple pregnancies.
There is also the risk of conjoint twins. Due to the fact that in vitro fertilization has better success rates and doesn’t involve laparoscopy, IVF is more popular than GIFT. A lot of patients prefer having IVF as the fertilization happens inside the body.
