Preparing the couple for ART: necessary and unnecessary diagnostic tests

It is difficult to build an algorithm including the essential diagnostic tests that a couple should undergo prior to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) treatment. Indeed, several factors should be considered, such as the prevalence of some disease in specific populations, the possibility of the national health systems to offer some tests, and the national legal rules context in which the treatment is performed. In this chapter those tests generally applied before a homologous in vitro fertilization cycle will be discussed. The significance of some tests is still experimental: it is possible that these recommendations may undergo considerable changes due to the speed at which scientific research is helping to innovate ART practice.