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Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection has an incredible success rate in the treatment of male factor infertility. ICSI significantly increases the chances of fertilization, making it the preferred method of egg fertilization for women undergoing IVF.
In cases where male factor has been determined to be a cause of infertility, ICSI has had incredible success in increasing the chances of fertilization. In a typical ICSI procedure, fertilization can occur in approximately 50% to 80% of eggs. Babies born after ICSI are statistically as likely to be healthy as those conceived spontaneously.
Infertility is complex and can be caused by a variety of factors in either partner.
Any number of circumstances may indicate the need for ICSI treatment. These include:
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is typically performed in conjunction with IVF. The procedure involves manual insertion of a single sperm directly into an unfertilized egg. At Indiana Fertility Institute, our expert embryologists use a specialized pipette to inject a single, normal sperm directly into the center of the harvested egg, with extreme care.
In an IVF treatment cycle, there are two ways that an egg can undergo fertilization: a traditional method and ICSI. In a traditional IVF cycle, up to 50,000 or more motile sperm are placed next to the egg in a laboratory dish, and fertilization occurs when one of the sperm enters into the cytoplasm (center) of the egg. Below are the steps to achieve fertilization in ICSI.
Before ICSI is performed, healthy, mature eggs are retrieved via an aspiration procedure. Sperm is also needed, via a semen sample, and is carefully washed to separate each individual sperm. If a semen sample cannot be provided or no sperm is present, a urologist may be able to extract sperm from the man’s epididymis or testicle for use in IVF. Once both sperm and egg are both successfully retrieved, ICSI can be performed at a micromanipulation workstation.
Each egg retrieved is strategically positioned close to a specialized pipette that is designed to carefully hold the egg in place during injection. An additional specialized sharp pipette is used to remove the tail and pick up a single sperm. The micropipette is inserted past the outer shell of the egg and into the cytoplasm in the middle. With extreme care, and the assistance of a specially fitted microscope, the single sperm is then injected into the middle of the egg and the pipette is pulled back.
Next, the sperm and egg are placed into incubators. On the following day, an embryologist performs a fertilization check. These fertilized eggs will then grow in the laboratory for five days while being carefully monitored for normal development milestones. If the embryos are determined to be healthy, embryo transfer will occur via a catheter placed through the cervix, two to five days after retrieval.
Anyone can experience the challenges associated with infertility. Our team is here to assist you in answering your questions and guide you through your fertility options. Let us help you achieve your family-building dreams.