In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is a fertility treatment in which eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and combined with sperm in a laboratory to create embryos, one or more of which may later be transferred into the uterus. IVF is used for a wide range of causes of infertility, including tubal disease, endometriosis, male-factor infertility, unexplained infertility, and after unsuccessful IUI. IVF is sometimes referred to in everyday conversation in India as "test tube baby" treatment, a term that reflects how the technique was first described publicly decades ago; the eggs and sperm are combined in a laboratory dish rather than a test tube, and clinics generally prefer the accurate term IVF. A full IVF cycle typically involves ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilisation, embryo culture, and embryo transfer, and may be followed by a pregnancy test roughly two weeks later. IVF is regulated in India under the ART (Regulation) Act, 2021 and its Rules, which set standards for registered ART clinics and banks, informed consent, and record-keeping. Success is not guaranteed in any individual cycle, and outcomes depend on many factors including age, ovarian reserve, and the underlying cause of infertility.
Also known as: IVF, test tube baby, test-tube baby treatment
Related India guides
Sources
- ICMR Standard Treatment Workflows (icmr.gov.in/standard-treatment-workflows-stws)
- Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, with the ART (Regulation) Rules and subsequent amendments and notifications (indiacode.nic.in; artsurrogacy.gov.in)
Last reviewed: 9 September 2026. Written by the Antega Editorial Team. General information only — always follow the advice of your own clinic, doctor or pharmacist.