Significance of assisted reproductive technology for other areas of medicine.

Assisted reproductive technology has achieved its place in the management of women with infertility. It is now being used to refocus gynaecological attention on patients with other enigmatic benign gynaecological conditions, such as endometriosis, and their medical treatments. Now that reasonable success rates can be achieved without risking unacceptable multiple pregnancy rates, many other medical disciplines are becoming involved. Specialists in these other disciplines need to modify their treatments accordingly to allow for future parenthood if this is appropriate. These specialists need also to be aware of past ethical dilemmas that infertility units have had to confront during the first ten years of this new technology.