Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI)

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection or ICSI is a technique for treating infertility that is particularly useful when infertility is associated with male infertility. This unique process requires only one sperm that is injected directly into a woman's egg. ICSI is a good option for couples that are having trouble conceiving because their partner's sperm count is low or the male produces little if any quality sperm.

ICSI is commonly used as an option for treating male infertility when couples are not interested in undergoing donor insemination for infertility.

How ICSI Works

Like with IVF or in vitro fertilization, couples undergoing ICSI treatment undergo an involved process. Usually women are directed to take fertility drugs for a designated time to help the ovaries produce multiple mature eggs during a given month rather than one mature egg for fertilization.

As part of this treatment male sperm is retrieved usually from a man's testicle using local anesthetic. Likewise a woman's eggs are removed from her ovaries using a long needle. Typically doctors use an ultrasound device to aid this process.

Then the donor sperm is injected directly into the woman's eggs. When successfully fertilized, the eggs now referred to as embryos are directly inserted into a woman's uterus through the cervix. In many cases doctors will freeze other embryos in case a woman does not conceive on the first try. The hope is that the embryo will attach to the woman's uterus and begin to grow, resulting in a successful pregnancy. Many times multiple embryos are inserted into the woman to increase the odds of conception. This also increases the odds of multiple pregnancy.

After a period of roughly 14 days, a woman can find out if the procedure was successful. Most couples will engage in ICSO treatment for between four and six weeks. The success rate is similar to what it would be if couples attempted to conceive the traditional way. Roughly 20 percent of couples will succeed in achieving pregnancy during their first ICSI treatment cycle.

This treatment is very advantageous for couples where male fertility is a factor. This treatment is also useful for men who may have structural abnormalities that make conception via traditional routes impossible.

As with any type of fertility treatment there are some disadvantages to this procedure. Generally only strong and high quality sperm are able to fertilize eggs in this environment. Hence while multiple sperm may be retrieved not all sperm will make it. There are also no guarantees that the sperm that do take are high quality and there is slightly increased risk that sperm available are genetically imprinted with an increased likelihood to produce offspring with a congenital defect.

This procedure is still relatively new, hence researchers are still looking for new information about success rates and risk factors associated with this procedure.

This treatment may be used in combination with other treatments or as a stand alone treatment. It is important if considering this treatment that you discuss the pros and cons with your health care provider.