When combined with in vitro fertilization, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a fertility treatment that can help intended parents with male infertility achieve their family-planning goals (IVF).

Whether you're a single man, a heterosexual couple, or a member of the LGBTQ+ community, let's get you up to speed on what ICSI stimulation is and who benefits from it.

ICSI is a treatment used to help with sperm-related male infertility, specifically when there is little sperm in ejaculated sperm. During the ICSI procedure, the male (either a sperm donor or intended parent) provides sperm through ejaculation. This specific treatment is part of the IVF cycle's fertilization stage and is administered following the egg retrieval procedure.

Doctors use IVF to perform the ICSI procedure, which involves injecting a sperm specimen directly into a mature egg. During this procedure, the doctor inserts a small glass tube containing a single sperm into one egg.

The doctor then examines the eggs the next day to see if they were successfully fertilized. Fertilized eggs are left to mature for several days before becoming multicellular embryos for blastocyst. These embryos are used by doctors during the embryo transfer procedure (which involves inserting an embryo into a woman's uterus).

Most embryo transfers are now FETs (or Frozen Embryo Transfers), which means the embryos are re-frozen and then thawed before transfer. This allows for greater timeline flexibility and, depending on the patient, may result in higher success rates than a 'fresh embryo transfer.' Intended parents have the option of freezing and storing any remaining high-quality embryos for future use and sibling journeys.

Benefits

ICSI can help couples who have struggled with infertility, especially if the infertility issue is male-related. The main advantage of ICSI during IVF is increased fertilization rate, which can increase the number of fertilized eggs available for transfer or freezing. For couples experiencing male factor infertility, ICSI can improve the chances of successful fertilization under normal insemination (such as IUI).

Here are some examples of male intended parents who would benefit from ICSI when used in conjunction with IVF, as well as those we consider:

● Men with a severely low sperm count
● Men who have sperm motility issues.
● Men who have sperm development issues.
● Men who have a blockage that prevents sperm from being ejaculated (such as a vasectomy).
● Those seeking to maximise the number of high-quality embryos produced from single egg retrieval.

Men who do not have problems with sperm count, development, or motility may still be candidates for ICSI. Couples who have not had success with previous IVF attempts may benefit from ICSI. Furthermore, couples who want to test for specific genetic problems are often good candidates for ICSI treatment.

Risks

While ICSI can significantly increase your chances of a successful pregnancy during IVF cycles, there are several risks that intended parents should be aware of before deciding to undergo this procedure.

The ICSI procedure has the potential to harm the eggs due to needle insertion, and the overall risk of having a baby with chromosomal abnormalities is 0.08 per cent or eight per 1,000 births. Discuss with your medical professional before you sign up.

https://www.indiraivf.com/male-infertility/