Egg retrieval is then performed with conventional vaginal ultrasound guided aspiration of the follicles. This is followed by a minor surgical procedure known as a laparoscopy in which the eggs are mixed with the sperm and immediately placed into the fallopian tubes. The resultant fertilized egg descends into the uterus for normal fetal development. This procedure requires that the fallopian tubes are normal and has the advantage that both retrieval and transfer can be done at the same time. Zygote intrafallopian transfer is very similar to GIFT in that conventional medications are administered to stimulate egg development.
Egg retrieval is performed through transvaginal ultrasound aspiration of the follicles.
The embryos are transferred back to the fallopian tube the following day through a laparoscopy. The advantage of ZIFT is that the embryos are in culture outside the body for only one day before they are transferred back to the fallopian tubes. A disadvantage of ZIFT is the necessity of a second surgical procedure. The difference is that the embryos are transferred on a later day, which allows the assessment of embryo growth and development. The transfer of the embryos back to the fallopian tubes is again performed through a laparoscopy.