
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)
What is ICSI?
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) refers to the special form of In Vitro Fertilisation which is primarily done in severe cases of male infertility. For the process of ICSI, at first, the eggs are harvested and denuded after 2-3 hours and then transferred to a lab dish. Within a few hours, a single sperm is injected through a fine needle to the centre of an egg cell with the help of an ICSI machine. This is done to aid the process of fertilization. If the process is successful, the cell will divide and start to form an embryo.
Usually, several egg cells are harvested and fertilized at the same time and once embryos are made they are transferred as per their quality and grading.
Why is ICSI done?
Circumstances, where ICSI is recommended, include:
- Low sperm count
- Poor sperm motility
- Poor sperm morphology or Abnormal shape of sperm
- In cases of azoospermia or no sperm in the semen level.
- When the sperms are retrieved through testicular biopsy by TESA/Micro-TESE
- When previous IVF procedure is failed
- When there is a high level of antibodies in semen
- When handling infectious cases of HIV, HBS, HCV
How is ICSI done?
ICSI is a part of IVF and is done in the same way. For the process of ICSI, you will be given fertility medications to stimulate your ovaries to develop several mature fertilizing eggs. Once the eggs are ready, they are retrieved by aspiration under anaesthesia. Meantime, the sperm is also collected from the male partner and is washed carefully. The best sperm is chosen for the process.
With the help of a very fine needle, the chosen sperm is injected in the cytoplasm of the egg. The egg is then placed into the incubator. Within 24 hours, the egg begins displaying the signs of fertilization and continues to form an embryo which is transferred later in the womb of the lady.
What are the risks associated with ICSI?
ICSI is a safe procedure for creating embryos and helps in increasing the chances of success in IVF especially in cases of male factor infertility.
What is the success rate of ICSI?
The success rate for ICSI depends on factors like the quality of egg and sperm because if the quality is better, good grade embryos would be generated and would increase the chances of success of conception and if the quality is not good then vice-versa.
Can ICSI affect a child’s development?
If a woman gets pregnant naturally, the chances of the baby having a major birth defect are 1.5 percent to 3 percent. The chance of ICSI-related birth defects is similar to IVF but somewhat higher than that of natural conception.
FAQs
What is infertility?
Infertility is the inability of a couple to conceive even after a year of trying to get pregnant through unprotected and well-timed sexual intercourse in which the woman is under the age of 35. If the woman is above 35, it is diagnosed after six months of trying to get pregnant. Infertility can be due to male or female factors or even both. It can also be due to unexplained reasons.
Does age affect fertility and chances of conception?
Yes, age does affect a woman’s ability to have children. More and more women now prefer to wait until their 30s to conceive. A woman’s fertility starts to reduce from her 30s and more after the age of 35. As much as one-third of couples who face fertility problems are those where the woman’s age is above 35.
How does age affect a woman’s ability to have children?
Here are a few ways of how a woman’s ability conceive reduces due to her age:
- The ability of ovaries to release eggs ready for fertilization reduces with age
- The quality of eggs released reduces with an increase in the age of women
- An increase in age can lead to more health problems which may interfere with a woman’s fertility
- The risk of miscarriages increases as a woman ages
- Children born to older women tend to have more abnormalities
How long should women try to get pregnant before visiting a doctor?
Women who are healthy and below the age of 30 need not worry about infertility unless they have been trying to get pregnant for a year or so. If such is the case, they should talk to their doctor for a fertility evaluation. They should also ask their partners to do the same.
Women in their 30s trying to get pregnant should talk to their doctor after trying for 6 months as a woman’s chances of having a baby decline rapidly after the age of 30.
Is infertility only a woman’s problem?
No, infertility can affect both men and women. About one-third of cases of infertility are due to female factors and another one third are due to male factors. The remaining cases are either due to a mixture of both male and female factors or due to unknown reasons.
Can male infertility be treated?
In most cases, male infertility can be treated. Your doctor may suggest you use assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as IVF, ICSI, TESA and Micro-TESE. Although ART cannot cure or treat the causes of infertility, it can help couples achieve pregnancy even when the male’s sperm count is low or zero.
What are the risk factors for infertility?
There are several external factors, lifestyle choices, and environmental causes that can lead to infertility. Although some risk factors can be gender-specific, some common risk factors are:
- Age
- Smoking
- Alcohol Consumption
- Substance Abuse
- Obesity and Underweight
- Sexually Transmitted Diseases
- Diabetes
- Tubal Disease
- Stress
- Genetic Causes
What are the ways to treat infertility?
There are many ways to treat infertility for both men and women. With advancing medical technologies, you and your partner along with your doctor can decide depending on the options available.
What causes infertility in women?
The most common reason for infertility in women is problems with ovulation. No ovulation or improper ovulation can prevent eggs from fertilizing or there may be no eggs at all. Irregular periods or no periods are a sign of no or improper ovulation. Some other causes of infertility include:
- Endometriosis
- PCOD/PCOS
- Uterine Fibroids
- Blocked Fallopian Tubes
- Physical problems with the uterus
- Pelvic Inflammatory Disease
- Several Miscarriages
- Unexplained Reasons
What causes infertility in men?
Infertility in men can be due to the following:
- Low or no sperm production
- Low motility of sperms- sperms inability to move fast or reach the egg to fertilize it
- Abnormal shape/structure of sperms that prevent it from fertilizing the egg
- Erectile Dysfunction or Retrograde Ejaculation
Sometimes, men may be born with these problems, and the other times, they may develop these problems due to an illness or injury.