What is ICSI procedure?
What is ICSI procedure? Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (full form of ICSI), is a part of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) procedure in which the eggs and sperm are fertilized after injecting sperm in the cytoplasm of a mature egg. It is a procedure needed for couples suffering from severe male factor infertility.
What is intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)?
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, abbreviated as ICSI, is one of the steps of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment. Specifically, ICSI refers to the method of fertilizing oocyte with sperm. However, many people often use the term ICSI or IVF-ICSI to refer to the entire fertility treatment process.
What is ICSI treatment for male infertility?
ICSI is an effective treatment for men with infertility. It’s performed as part of IVF. It involves the sperm being injected directly into the egg. Some men may need their sperm to be surgically extracted first. Is there anyone ICSI isn’t right for?
How long does ICSI treatment last?
How long does ICSI treatment last? One cycle of ICSI takes between four weeks and six weeks to complete. You and your partner can expect to spend a half-day at the clinic for the egg and sperm retrieval procedures. You will usually be asked to go back between two days and five days later for the embryo transfer procedure

What day of cycle does ICSI start?
You will usually start this on day 2 (the day after your period starts) and continue until around day 12, it is better to have the injection at around the same time every day.
How long does ICSI treatment take from start to finish?
One cycle of ICSI takes between four weeks and six weeks to complete. You and your partner can expect to spend a half-day at the clinic for the egg and sperm retrieval procedures. You will usually be asked to go back between two days and five days later for the embryo transfer procedure .
How many days after period do you start IVF injections?
An IVF treatment cycle begins on Day 1 of your period, and ends with your pregnancy blood test roughly four weeks later.
Can ICSI work first time?
The ICSI procedure fertilizes 50 to 80 percent of eggs. You might assume all eggs get fertilized with ICSI-IVF, but they don't. Fertilization isn't guaranteed even when a sperm is injected into the egg.
What are the chances of ICSI working first time?
New Scientist reports that a recent study revealed that ICSI boasts a pregnancy success rate of 24%. While IVF without ICSI still has a slightly higher pregnancy success rate at 27%, those aren't bad odds for anyone who's already tried other methods of assisted reproductive technology.
What are the stages of ICSI?
ICSI Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injectionIntroduction. ... The ICSI Timeline. ... Step one: Stimulation of the ovaries. ... Step two: Egg retrieval. ... Step three: Fertilisation. ... Step four: Embryo development. ... Step five: Embryo transfer. ... Step six: The pregnancy test.
When do IVF medications start?
On the first day of a patient's menstrual cycle they will typically call to schedule a “baseline” visit for Day 3 of their cycle. This appointment includes an ultrasound and bloodwork. After this visit, if approved, patients will start hormone injections (commonly referred to as “stimulation meds” or “stims”).
Why is hCG given after embryo transfer?
Aim. Human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) is used frequently for luteal support in fresh in vitro fertilization cycles as it induces progesterone secretion from the ovaries after oocyte retrieval and modulates the endometrium for implantation in fresh cycles.
What size follicles trigger IVF?
17–18 mmIn most centers, triggering is administered once two to three ovarian follicles are at least 17–18 mm in diameter.
How can I increase my ICSI success rate?
How to Increase Your Chances of IVF SuccessMaintain a healthy weight. ... Optimize sperm health. ... Partner with an excellent doctor and embryology laboratory. ... Reduce your stress. ... Quit smoking. ... Look into taking supplements. ... Ensure you have adequate levels of vitamin D. ... Focus on persistence and patience.
Does ICSI improve embryo quality?
Overall, use of ICSI did not improve reproductive outcomes, regardless of whether male factor infertility was present. This may be due to poorer quality embryos resulting from cycles where ICSI was used because the procedure bypasses natural barriers to fertilization.
Are you more likely to have a boy or girl with ICSI?
Australian researchers found the odds of a boy went up from 51 in 100 when conceived naturally to 56 in 100. But another assisted reproduction technique called ICSI, which singles out the sperm that will fertilise the IVF egg, makes a girl more likely.
Why do ICSI treatments help with IVF?
If you haven't had success with IVF due to problems fertilizing eggs, adding ICSI to your next treatment can improve the chance of fertilization because an embryologist handles the process in a lab.
What is ICSI in a sperm injection?
With ICSI, a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. ICSI is used with in vitro fertilization (IVF) ...
How many babies are born in the US each year from ICSI?
ICSI is used with in vitro fertilization (IVF) and is performed in more than 65 percent of IVF procedures. As a result of IVF with ICSI, more than 17,000 babies are born in the United States each year.
What to do if microsurgery doesn't work?
Tissue sample (if needed). If microsurgery doesn't work, the doctor takes a tissue sample from inside your testicle, which could contain sperm. (If no sperm is found, your doctor may suggest that you consider using donor sperm to conceive a child.) Gathering the eggs.
Can IVF use ICSI?
May help when frozen eggs are used. ICSI is usually recommended whenever frozen eggs are used in IVF. It's unknown if ICSI improves the fertilization rate of frozen eggs, but since these eggs undergo certain changes during the freezing process, experts believe that ICSI may be a more effective way to fertilize them.
Is ICSI good for sperm?
ICSI may be a good option if you have: No sperm in your semen. A low sperm count. Slow sperm (low sperm motility) Abnormally shaped sperm. Damaged or missing vas deferens (the tube that carries semen from the testes to the penis) Had a vasectomy. Tried IVF but there were problems during the fertilization process.
What is ICSI in utero?
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) can be used as part of an in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment to help you and your partner conceive a child. . . The fertilised egg (embryo) is then transferred to your womb (uterus).
Does ICSI bypass natural selection?
But because ICSI bypasses this natural selection process, there's a slightly increased risk of rare genetic problems carried by the sperm being passed on to the child. (Palermo et al 2015) . Some but not all genetic problems can be tested for, before you have the treatment. (HFEA 2015) .
Why should ICSI not be used for every IVF cycle?
There is also a slightly increased risk of a male baby having fertility problems in the future. This is because male infertility may be passed on genetically. These additional risks are why many doctors are saying ICSI should not be used for every IVF cycle. 1 It's one thing if you need ICSI to conceive.
How much does ICSI cost?
The ICSI procedure costs between $1,400 to $2,000. This is on top of the general IVF cost, which on average costs $12,000 to $15,000. It may cost more than this if other IVF options are being used.
What is ICSI IVF?
Pronounced ick-see IVF, ICSI stands for intracytoplasmic sperm injection. During regular IVF, many sperm are placed together with an egg, in hopes that one of the sperm will enter and fertilize the egg on its own. With ICSI-IVF, the embryologist takes a single sperm and injects it directly into an egg. 1 .
Why do we use ICSI?
Sperm retrieved through TESE require the use of ICSI. ICSI is also used in cases of retrograde ejaculation if the sperm are retrieved from the man's urine. Severe male infertility isn’t the only reason ICSI-IVF is used. Other evidence-based reasons for ICSI include: 2 .
How many eggs are fertilized with ICSI?
The ICSI procedure fertilizes 50 to 80 percent of eggs. You might assume all eggs get fertilized with ICSI-IVF, but they don’t. Fertilization isn’t guaranteed even when a sperm is injected into the egg. Remember that fertilization rates don’t tell you the clinical pregnancy or live birth rates.
Does ICSI improve live birth rates?
However, research has not found that pregnancy or live birth rates are improved when ICSI is used. Unexplained infertility: The logic behind using ICSI to treat unexplained infertility is that since we don’t know what is wrong, treating every possibility is a good plan of action.
Is IVF a good technology?
IVF with ICSI can be a great technology when needed. However, there’s some disagreement on when it can and can’t improve success rates. Research is ongoing, but here are some situations that the American Society of Reproductive Medicine reports IVF with ICSI may not be warranted:
What is the difference between ICSI and IVF?
In the case of ICSI, one sperm is injected in the cytoplasm of a mature egg, whereas in case of IVF, the egg and sperm are left in a petri dish to fertilise.
Is ICSI successful?
A – ICSI is very successful in helping the sperm and egg to fertilise. However, just as IVF, there are other factors as well that affects a successful pregnancy after the treatment like age, etc.
Is ICSI better than IVF?
A – It depends. Studies and researches suggest that ICSI procedure is as effective as IVF when the sperm is injected in the egg without any male factor infertility. However, in the case of male factor infertility, it is considered to be a better solution than normal IVF procedure .
Why is ICSI important for preimplantation?
If using frozen eggs – the process of vitrification can sometimes harden the egg’s outer shell making fertilization challenging; If doing Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT ), ICSI is generally recommended because additional sperm near the embryo can interfere with results.
What is ICSI in IVF?
ICSI IVF is one of two fertilization methods that can be used during IVF, ...
How does an ICSI needle work?
Once the sperm is in the ICSI needle, the embryologist moves it to a media drop containing the eggs. The egg to be injected is held gently in place by a microtool called a holding pipette, which exerts a light suction on the egg, allowing the embryologist to place the egg in perfect injection position.
How many eggs does ICSI fertilize?
The ICSI procedure fertilizes 50 to 80 percent of eggs, but results vary depending on maternal age, egg quality, and sperm quality. Since ICSI sounds like a sure thing, many people wonder what would prevent fertilization from occurring.
What is the procedure called when you get an egg from an oocyte?
Ovarian hyperstimulation is achieved by a woman taking gonadotropins (injectables Follistim and Gonal-F) while monitoring the response/follicular growth to the medication. Once the eggs have been retrieved during an in-office procedure called an egg (oocyte) retrieval, it is time for the true IVF to begin.
Why is ICSI considered unnecessary?
When donor sperm or eggs are used , ICSI is often considered unnecessary because the quality of both gametes is so high. Whether you opt for ICSI or conventional IVF, the ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval process remains the same, only the fertilization process itself is different.
How much of an egg is fertilized with ICSI?
The ICSI technique fertilizes on average 50-80% of the eggs that are injected, whereas conventional IVF fertilizes around 50% of eggs. But fertilization rates are different than clinical pregnancy ...
Why do ICSI patients have problems?
certain genetic and developmental defects in a very small number of children born using this treatment; however, problems that have been linked with ICSI may have been caused by the underlying infertility , rather than the treatment itself.
What is ICSI testing?
ICSI is an effective treatment for men with infertility. It’s performed as part of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). It involves the sperm being injected directly into the egg.
What is ICSI in sperm?
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) For around half of couples who are having problems conceiving, the cause of infertility is sperm-related. ICSI is the most common and successful treatment for male infertility. This page will introduce you to ICSI, who it might be suitable for and what the risks are. You have chosen not to allow videos ...
Can ICSI be used again?
If you want, you can try ICSI again if your doctor thinks you have a reasonable chance of success. Alternatively, you can think about your options and decide whether to continue treatment or explore other options for having a family, such as using donor sperm or adoption.
Is ICSI successful?
ICSI itself is very successful at helping the sperm and the egg to fertilise. However, as in IVF there are still many other factors affecting a successful pregnancy, including the age of the woman and whether she has any fertility difficulties herself.

Overview
Why Is ICSI-IVF done?
- ICSI-IVF is typically used in cases of severe male infertility, including:2 1. Very low sperm count (also known as oligospermia) 2. Abnormally shaped sperm (also known as teratozoospermia) 3. Poor sperm movement (also known as asthenozoospermia) If a man does not have any sperm in his ejaculate, but he is producing sperm, they may be retrieved through testicular sperm extracti…
Controversial Uses
- IVF with ICSI can be a great technology when needed. However, there’s some disagreement on when it can and can’t improve success rates. Research is ongoing, but here are some situations that the American Society of Reproductive Medicine reports IVF with ICSI may not be warranted: 1. Very few eggs retrieved: The concern is that with so few eggs, why take a risk that they won’t …
ICSI-IVF
- ICSI is done as a part of IVF. Since ICSI is done in the lab, your IVF treatment won't seem much different than an IVF treatment without ICSI. As with regular IVF, you'll take ovarian stimulating drugs, and your doctor will monitor your progress with blood tests and ultrasounds. Once you've grown enough good-sized follicles, you'll have the egg retrieval, where eggs are rem…
Cost
- The ICSI procedure costs between $1,400 to $2,000. This is on top of the general IVF cost, which on average costs $12,000 to $15,000. It may cost more than this if other IVF optionsare being used.
Risks
- ICSI-IVF comes with all the risks of a regular IVF cycle, but the ICSI procedure does introduce additional ones. Some birth defects are more likely to occur with ICSI-IVF, specifically Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, Angelman syndrome, hypospadias, and sex chromosome abnormalities. They occur in less than 1 percent of babies conceived using ICSI with IVF. There is also a slightl…
Success Rate
- The ICSI procedure fertilizes 50 to 80 percent of eggs. You might assume all eggs get fertilized with ICSI-IVF, but they don’t. Fertilization isn’t guaranteed even when a sperm is injected into the egg. Remember that fertilization rates don’t tell you the clinical pregnancy or live birth rates. Once fertilization happens, the success rate for a cou...