Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is a specialized form of in vitro fertilization (IVF), and is used primarily for the treatment of severe cases of male infertility.
Available At
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is a specialized form of in vitro fertilization (IVF), and is used primarily for the treatment of severe cases of male infertility.
Available At
ICSI refers to a lab procedure where a single sperm is picked with a fine glass needle and is injected directly into each egg. This is carried out by experienced embryologists using specialized equipment. Very few sperm are required and the ability of the sperm to penetrate the egg is no longer important as this has been assisted by the ICSI technique.
ICSI is recommended for couples who have had poor or no fertilization during standard IVF, as well as men who have:
As ICSI is more invasive and requires more handling than standard IVF insemination techniques, there is a small chance (less than 2%) that the egg may be damaged during the procedure – resulting in a non-viable egg.
The ICSI procedure is primarily performed for those couples who experience male factor infertility or have had unexplained infertility. It is now commonly performed as part of the IVF protocol for many patients and essentially neutralizes male factor infertility by normalizing fertilization with IVF.
ICSI is done in the IVF laboratory by highly skilled embryologists following the egg retrieval.
This type of infertility can be caused by one of the following factors:
Male Factor Infertility is responsible for about 30% of infertility cases and can contribute infertility to an additional 20% of cases. For more information about male fertility issues, please follow this link to the website ReproductiveFacts.org which has an outstanding video.
The video discusses male infertility including possible causes, diagnostic testing, and treatments.
Dealing with infertility can be extremely difficult for couples and often we hear about the painful experience from the female perspective. In this video, we hear from Fred Harlan who knows the heartache of infertility all too well. He shares his inspirational story and an unexpected twist of how this journey lead him down a new career path.
