Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is an infertility treatment that is very similar to IVF. Here the difference is, only 1 sperm is injected directly into an egg. If the sperm quantity or quality is an issue this technique is used to achieve the pregnancy. In this technique, the sperms are screened and only the best quality sperms are selected for the procedure.
Why Should I Consider ICSI?
- Your doctor recommends ICSI if you or your spouse has-
- Low sperm count
- Poor or low sperm motility
- Abnormally shaped sperm
- Due to injury, diabetes or vasectomy, a sperm can’t be ejaculated
- If using a frozen sperm which is not of optimum quality
What is the process?
Egg Production
To stimulate the ovaries for producing more eggs you or your partner will take daily injections. Through regular ultrasounds and blood tests, the progress is regularly monitored by the doctors. One’s the follicles around the eggs have grown to the required size, a final injection is administered to promote the maturation of the egg.
Egg Collection
Under a mild sedation, your eggs are collected. By ultrasound, a fine hollow needle is guided via the vagina. The collected eggs are then placed into an incubator.
Sperm Sample
On the day off egg collection, the sperms too are collected. Depending on the type of male problem, the source of sperm will be either a fresh specimen, a thawed sample or surgically collected if no sperm is present to ejaculate.
Insemination of sperm and eggs
An individual sperm is injected directly into all of the mature eggs which are placed in an incubator overnight. Then the eggs are examined to see if they are fertilised. Upon successful fertilisation, the embryos are nurtured in the laboratory for 6 days. Then the best quality embryos are selected and transferred to the womb.
Embryo Transfer
The embryo’s which are most likely to create a pregnancy are selected for transferring to the uterus. Usually, this procedure does not require sedation.
Pregnancy Test
A pregnancy test should be taken approx after 2 weeks of the procedure, but your doctor will advise on the actual date.
Are there any side effects or risk?
Many large-scale studies on the ICSI born children have now been published and the results have been reassuring.
At Yash IVF & Pearl Women’s Hospital we keep our patients well informed and educate them about the different techniques to achieve pregnancy. If you would like to discuss the implications of ICSI treatment further, you can talk to any of our doctors at www.yashivf.com or 7774097008
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