In the past 22 years since the delivery of Louise Brown, the first child born as a result of in vitro fertilization (IVF), the advances in the field of assisted reproductive technologies have been remarkable. Innovations in the areas of ovulation induction and the treatment of male factor infertility and improvements in laboratory techniques have enabled many couples to achieve their dream of having a child. The most recent advance in the area of ovulation induction is the introduction of recombinant gonadotropins and gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonists, which have led to improvements in ovulation induction protocols for IVF.

Many of the other advances in assisted reproductive technology have been equally remarkable. In the early 1990s, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) was introduced and has since revolutionized the treatment of male infertility. With the increased ability to micromanipulate gametes, the technique of embryo biopsy and its application in preimplantation genetic diagnosis has the potential to offer couples with known genetic abnormalities the opportunity to conceive healthy children. Recently, IVF laboratories have been able to culture embryos successfully to the blastocyst stage. Blastocyst culture has the potential to further improve the efficiency of IVF and address the issue of multiple pregnancy, a major complication of IVF. This article reviews important advances that have made the field of assisted reproduction a dynamic subspecialty and provides insight into other exciting areas of research that will continue to revolutionize the field in the future.