What is ICSI?
Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSI is an assisted reproductive technology (ART) used to treat male infertility problems when little or no sperm is ejaculated in the semen. It enhances the fertilization stage of in-vitro fertilization (IVF) by injecting one sperm individually into a mature egg. The fertilized egg is then placed in the woman’s uterus.
Common reasons for performing ICSI
At Yash IVF, the common reasons for ICSI are-
- Fertilisation failure in previous IVF cycle
- Poor fertilisation in previous IVF cycles
- Low sperm count
- Poor sperm morphology
- Poor sperm motility
- When frozen sample to be used
- When Pre genetic implantation diagnosis is warranted.
How is ICSI performed?
ICSI technique is mainly useful for the male counterparts experiencing repeated IVF failures due to serious fertility issues. It is a very effective method used to fertilize eggs have been aspirated from the females.
- ICSI technique involves the use of tools and equipment with a small inverted microscope that enables the embryologist to select and collect healthy individual sperm in a specially devised ICSI needle.
- This needle is carefully advanced into the outer shell of egg membranes and the sperm is injected into the cytoplasm (inner part of the egg).
- ICSI usually results in fertilization in about 75% - 80% of the cases
- However, initially female is stimulated with medications for egg retrieval procedure so that several eggs are obtained for this procedure.
