ICSI

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) 

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is a specialised form of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) that is used primarily for the treatment of severe cases of male-factor infertility. ICSI involves the injection of a single sperm directly into a mature egg.

At City Fertility, we use a medium named Sperm Slow™ during sperm selection. This medium contains hyaluronan (HA), which binds sperm that are more likely to have normal DNA and thus allows selection of these bound sperm for injection. By selecting the sperm that are bound to HA and using them for ICSI, the embryologists are preferentially using the better-quality, more mature sperm. Please note that, while this technique using HA is standard practice, it may not be suitable in every case depending on individual circumstances.

Please remember anyone can be affected by infertility and while it can be a challenging experience, the good news is that our specialists can help you explore the options available to achieve your dream of having a baby.

What is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)?

• Before a man’s sperm can fertilize a woman’s egg, the head of the sperm must attach to the outside of the egg.  Once attached, the sperm pushes through the outer layer to the inside of the egg (cytoplasm), where fertilization takes place.
• Sometimes the sperm cannot penetrate the outer layer, for a variety of reasons. The egg’s outer layer may be thick or hard to penetrate or the sperm may be unable to swim. In these cases, a procedure called intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) can be done along with in vitro fertilization (IVF) to help fertilize the egg. During ICSI, a single sperm is injected directly into the cytoplasm the egg.

How does ICSI work:–

There are two ways that an egg may be fertilized by IVF: traditional and ICSI. In traditional IVF, 50,000 or more swimming sperm are placed next to the egg in a laboratory dish. Fertilization occurs when one of the sperm enters into the cytoplasm of the egg. In the ICSI process, a tiny needle, called a micropipette, is used to inject a single sperm into the center of the egg. With either traditional IVF or ICSI, once fertilization occurs, the fertilized egg (now called an embryo) grows in a laboratory for 1 to 5 days before it is transferred to the woman’s uterus (womb).

Why would I need ICSI?

ICSI helps to overcome fertility problems, such as:

• The male partner produces too few sperm to do artificial insemination (intrauterine insemination [IUI]) or IVF.
• The sperm may not move in a normal fashion.
• The sperm may have trouble attaching to the egg.
• A blockage in the male reproductive tract may keep sperm from getting out.
• Eggs have not fertilized by traditional IVF, regardless of the condition of the sperm.
• In vitro matured eggs are being used.
• Previously frozen eggs are being used.