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| Treatments - Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection |
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is a specialized form of in vitro fertilization (IVF) most often used for men who have poor sperm quality or low sperm counts. During an ICSI procedure, a single sperm is injected directly into each mature egg, instead of adding sperm to the dish containing the egg.
Who qualifies for ICSI?
ICSI is typically reserved for couples with severe male factor infertility. Previously, therapeutic donor insemination (TDI) or adoption was the only option for these couples. However, ICSI now provides couples with severe male factor infertility with the opportunity to conceive their own biological offspring.
The ICSI Procedure:
Female patients undergo the same ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval as those patients undergoing a routine IVF treatment cycle. The best quality eggs are selected after careful analysis under a microscope.
At around the same time as the egg retrieval, semen specimens are collected. A conventional semen analysis is performed to identify the healthiest sperm, which is the carefully prepared for injection directly into the egg. The sperm suspension is kept at 37°C in an incubator until the moment of injection. Approximately 16 to 18 hours after injection, the eggs are assessed for fertilization. If successful fertilization has occurred, the newly formed embryos are then transferred approximately 72-120 hours later.
Failed fertilization with ICSI:
This is an uncommon scenario. However, for cases with low or failed fertilization with ICSI, special techniques like oocyte activation with calcium ionophore or puromycin are implemented at our center to remedy this challenging problem.
Embryo Transfer procedure:
After fertilization, the embryos are cultured for a number of days in order to select the best ones. The number of embryos transferred depends on several factors including: patient age, cause of infertility, previous treatment outcomes, embryo quality, and the stage of development.
On the day of embryo transfer, you will come to the clinic with a full bladder. In a special procedure room, the embryo transfer is performed under ultrasound guidance to ensure proper placement of the embryo(s) in the right part of the uterus. Following the embryo transfer, you will rest in the recovery area for 20-30 minutes. It is important to note that emptying your bladder after the transfer will not cause expulsion of the embryos. A pregnancy test is usually done 10-12 days following the embryo transfer. |
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