What is Intracystoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)?
ICSI is a laboratory procedure and a form of micromanipulation. It involves the injection of a single sperm directly into a mature egg using a glass needle called a micropipette. ICSI is an assisted reproductive technology (ART) used to treat couples where sperm quality is poor, and conventional IVF is unlikely to result in fertilization. In such cases, your fertility specialist will recommend IVF incorporation intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI treatment) to enhance the fertilization phase by injecting a single sperm into a mature egg using a very fine micromanipulation equipment.
As the human egg is 1/10 of a millimeter in diameter and the sperm 100 times smaller, this is a very delicate procedure performed by highly skilled embryologist.
Who are ideal candidates for ICSI?
ICSI is recommended for:
- Infertile couples undergoing in vitro fertilization (IVF) due to male infertility
- Patients with a previous history of lack of fertility after conventional IVF
In cases with no sperm in the ejaculate due to a blockage, sperm aspiration or testicular biopsy may be performed to retrieve the sperm for ICSI.