Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is a type of IVF procedure. During ICSI, a single healthy sperm is directly injected into the cytoplasm of each mature egg. ICSI eliminates the need for sperm to penetrate the egg for fertilization. It increases the chance of fertilization as it bypasses any potential barrier the sperm may be having in getting into the egg.

What could be the indications of ICSI?

A doctor can recommend ICSI in case of various male or female fertility problems.

Male fertility conditions in which ICSI can help

1. Azoospermia – No sperms in semen
2. Oligozoospermia – Low quantity of sperms in semen
3. Cryptozoospermia –Severe form of Oligozoospermia
4. Asthenozoospermia –Medical condition with reduced sperm motility
5. Teratospermia – Condition characterized by sperms with abnormal morphology
6. Oligoasthenozoospermia- Condition with decreased sperm quantity as well as motility
7. Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia- It involves decreased sperm quantity as well as motility along with altered sperm morphology
8. Post Vasectomy or permanent male sterilization
9. If a male partner is suffering from infectious diseases like HIV or hepatitis
10. Presence of anti-sperm antibodies, which may inhibit sperm function

Female fertility conditions in which a doctor may recommend ICSI

1. In case of having a lower count of eggs post follicular puncture or oocyte retrieval
2. Poor quality of egg
3. Thick zona pellucida (layer surrounding the thick plasma membrane of egg)
4. Failure of fertilization using conventional IVF

What are the risks associated with ICSI?

Some of the risks associated with ICSI are

1. Damage to egg at the time of injecting it with sperm
2. Genetic defects although the chances of happening this are very minimal
3. A male child may inherit his father’s infertility if there is a clear genetic cause of the father’s infertility

What is the success rate of ICSI?

The success of the ICSI predominantly depends on maternal age. Lower the age better is the chance of success.

For women aged less than 35 years chances of a successful pregnancy is up to 49%.

For women between 35 to 39 years of age chances of a successful pregnancy is up to 37%.

For women aged more than 40 years chances of a successful pregnancy is up to 23%.

What are the precautions one should follow in ICSI treatment?

The most important thing following ICSI is to keep yourself stress-free. Since ICSI does not require anesthesia, you may continue your daily routine. It is highly recommended to keep yourself busy to do away with unnecessary stress and anxiety.

However, one should always follow these precautions

1. Avoid high-intensity workouts
2. Avoid sexual intercourse
3. Avoid taking any medication without consulting with the doctor

Why Choose Yana IVF for ICSI procedure?

At Yana, we use a medium named PVP (Polyvinylpyrrolidone ) for sperm selection. It slows down sperm motility which makes it easier for the doctor to select sperms with normal morphology. This enables the embryologists to use the better-quality, more mature sperms during ICSI.