Assisted Reproductive Technologies

ART includes all fertility treatments in which both eggs and sperm are handled. In general, ART procedures involve surgically removing eggs from a woman’s ovaries, combining them with sperm in the laboratory, and returning them to the woman’s body or donating them to another woman. They do not include treatments in which only sperm are handled (e.g., intrauterine—or artificial—insemination) or procedures in which a woman takes medicine only to stimulate egg production without the intention of having eggs retrieved.

The objective of ART is to create an embryo by bypassing the factor(s) causing the fertility problem.

Typical ARTs include:

Typically, ART will use therapies such as Gonal-f® (follitropin alfa for injection) for controlled ovarian hyperstimulation as part of the protocol. These medications either supplement or replace a woman's natural supply of hormones to stimulate development of multiple follicles and to control the timing of the reproductive cycle. A woman's eggs and a man's sperm are then collected and brought together to create an embryo in a laboratory.

The fine art of ART

Watch how a woman's cycle progresses day by day as she undergoes ART treatments.

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Indication:
For women, Gonal-f® (follitropin alfa for injection), Gonal-f® RFF (follitropin alfa injection) and Gonal-f® RFF Pen (follitropin alfa injection) are indicated for 1) the induction of ovulation and pregnancy in the anovulatory infertile patient in whom the cause of infertility is functional and not due to primary ovarian failure and 2) for the development of multiple follicles in the ovulatory patient participating in an Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) program.
For men, Gonal-f® is also indicated for the induction of spermatogenesis in men with primary and secondary hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in whom the main cause of infertility is not due to primary testicular failure.

Important Safety Information:
These products should only be prescribed by physicians specializing in fertility or reproductive health. Use of Gonal-f® or Gonal-f® RFF by women can result in multiple births. Patients should let their doctor know of any allergic reactions to recombinant FSH preparations or other product ingredients. Patients should also inform their doctor of a history of cancer of the sex organs or brain and uncontrolled thyroid or adrenal disease before starting or continuing treatment. Women with a history of abnormal bleeding from the uterus or vagina, swollen, enlarged, or painful ovaries should speak to their doctor before starting treatment. Gonal-f® and Gonal-f® RFF are potent gonadotropic substances capable severe adverse reactions, including Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS) in women, which can result hospitalization. Women should inform their doctor if they experience severe stomach pain, vomiting, bloating, or weight gain while taking Gonal-f® or Gonal-f RFF®. The most common side effects are headache, ovarian cysts, upset stomach, and sinus infections in women taking Gonal-f® or Gonal-f® RFF. The most common side effects in men taking Gonal-f® are skin acne, breast pain and growth, and tiredness. Needle injections may cause some discomfort.

For more information, refer to the prescribing and patient information offered below and talk to your doctor.


© EMD Serono, Inc. CIM Last Update 2008-09-16
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