Editing In vitro fertilisation (section)

===Indications===
{{Further|Infertility}}

IVF may be used to overcome [[female infertility]] when it is due to problems with the [[fallopian tube]]s, making in vivo fertilisation difficult. It can also assist in [[male infertility]], in those cases where there is a defect in [[sperm quality]]; in such situations [[intracytoplasmic sperm injection]] (ICSI) may be used, where a sperm cell is injected directly into the egg cell. This is used when sperm has difficulty penetrating the egg. ICSI is also used when sperm numbers are very low. When indicated, the use of ICSI has been found to increase the success rates of IVF.

According to UK's [[National Institute for Health and Care Excellence]] (NICE) guidelines, IVF treatment is appropriate in cases of unexplained infertility for people who have not conceived after 2 years of regular unprotected sexual intercourse.<ref name=NICE2013>{{cite web | url = http://guidance.nice.org.uk/CG156 | title = Fertility: assessment and treatment for people with fertility problems | work = [[NICE guidelines|NICE clinical guideline]] | date = February 2013 }}</ref>

In people with [[anovulation]], it may be an alternative after 7–12 attempted cycles of [[ovulation induction]], since the latter is expensive and more easy to control.<ref name="WeissBraam2014">{{cite journal | vauthors = Weiss NS, Braam S, König TE, Hendriks ML, Hamilton CJ, Smeenk JM, Koks CA, Kaaijk EM, Hompes PG, Lambalk CB, van der Veen F, Mol BW, van Wely M | display-authors = 6 | title = How long should we continue clomiphene citrate in anovulatory women? | journal = Human Reproduction | volume = 29 | issue = 11 | pages = 2482–2486 | date = November 2014 | pmid = 25164024 | doi = 10.1093/humrep/deu215 | doi-access = free }}</ref>