Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI):
What is intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection and how does it work?
Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) involves injecting a single sperm directly into an egg in order to fertilize it. It is a process sometimes used during in vitro fertilization treatment .The fertilized egg (embryo) is then transferred to the woman’s womb.
What are the indications for ICSI?
The male partner has a very low sperm count.
Other problems with the sperm have been identified, such as poor morphology (abnormally shaped) and/or poor motility (poor swimmers). The male partner has had a vasectomy and sperm have been collected from the testicles or epididymis (sperm reservoir).
The male partner does not ejaculate any sperm but sperm have been collected from the testicles.
How does ICSI work?
The procedure for ICSI is similar to that for IVF, but instead of fertilisation taking place in a dish, the embryologist selects sperm from the sample and a single sperm is injected directly into each egg. After two to three days in the laboratory, those that are fertilised are transferred to your womb in the same way as for conventional IVF.