The ICSI Process Explained
The intracytoplasmic sperm injection process takes place during IVF. It is often performed for couples who are dealing with male factor infertility and for those who have not had success with IVF in the past.
There are five main steps to the ICSI procedure: A sperm sample is taken from your partner’s semen or surgically extracted from his testes or epididymis. Your eggs are surgically extracted from your ovaries. Using a tiny hollow needle, one sperm is carefully injected into an egg.
After injection, the fertilised egg is observed for growth and development.
Once normal growth is observed, the embryo will be implanted into your uterus, where it has the opportunity to implant and develop.
Some fertility clinics choose to use fresh sperm that have just been extracted, while others prefer to do the ICSI procedure with frozen sperm. There appears to be no difference in pregnancy rates between those who use fresh or frozen sperm during the ICSI process.
How ICSI works
The ICSI procedure is performed by using a technique called micromanipulation. Micromanipulation uses a special microscope, along with very small surgical tools, to pick up and handle a single sperm, injecting it directly into an egg.
ICSI and male infertility
The ICSI procedure can help you achieve IVF pregnancy success even when male infertility problems are an issue. If your male partner has experienced any of the following problems, talk to your doctor about ICSI:
•Absence of sperm in the semen, possibly caused by a blockage.
•Low sperm count, poor sperm quality, and/or abnormal sperm shape and movement.
•Sperm are unable to penetrate through the outer layer of your egg, or the production of antiserum antibodies.
Have you tried IVF without success? If so, ask your doctor about ICSI and IVF success rates.
ICSI side effects
Unfortunately, problems can occur during ICSI procedures. Here are some potential issues that could arise during the process:
Your eggs may become damaged. The embryo might fail to grow after fertilisation. Some people speculate that the ICSI process might lead to higher rates of genetic defects compared to other fertility treatments. But the birth defects most commonly associated with ICSI can usually be fixed with surgery.
ICSI and vasectomy reversal
If your partner has had a vasectomy, the ICSI procedure may help you conceive. This may be especially helpful if your partner tried to have an unsuccessful vasectomy reversal, or if he doesn’t want to have the vasectomy reversed. During a vasectomy