The main IVF technique was developed in the 1970s. This involves giving the woman fertility drugs to stimulate egg production, and then surgically retrieving the eggs from the ovaries. She is then given hormones to prepare her uterus for pregnancy, while the eggs are fertilized with the sperm in a laboratory. The embryos are then implanted into the woman's uterus, and if all goes well, a normal pregnancy is achieved.

IVF procedures developed more recently include Intra-cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). This helps those men for whom the standard IVF technique would fail, for example if their sperm are unable to penetrate the egg, to achieve pregnancy with their partner.

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is an alternative procedure which involves the introduction of washed sperm directly into the uterus to maximise the number of healthy sperm reaching the fallopian tubes and fertilizing an egg. Procedures such as sperm washing can also be carried out in order to only retrieve sperm strong and healthy enough for inclusion in IVF techniques. This is particularly successful with men who have a low sperm count.

IUI often takes place alongside ovarian stimulation to increase egg production and improve the rate of success. In some cases, egg selection may be suggested. It enables only the healthiest eggs to be taken from the ovaries for fertilization outside the body. It can be useful for women with a diminished number and quality of eggs.

New assisted conception techniques are constantly being developed, and existing procedures refined. For example, 3D ultrasound can now be used to detect pre-pregnancy fertility problems, such as blocked fallopian tubes.