Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection Treatments

Intracytoplasmic  Injection or ICSI is a type of IVF procedure, in which a  is directly placed inside an egg for the fertilization to occur. Almost half of the entire percentage of people suffering from infertility problems goes through an ICSI procedure. This is the most successful treatment when there is a fertility problem in the male partner. Often couples with older male partner are known to go through an ICSI procedure.

Success rates vary from patient to patient, but on an average, the intracytoplasmic  injection success rate can be counted to 25%. An ICSI procedure fertilizes 50-80% eggs, but fertilization of all the eggs is not guaranteed. But owing to the success rate, you can say that this procedure is fairly successful.

 

There has been considerable debate, many couples go for an ICSI procedure when all else fail. No infertility procedure can guarantee a baby. The final decision lies with you, after considering the pros and cons and after detailed consultation with your physician.

 

Difference between ICSI and IVF

The main difference between an IVF and intracytoplasmic  injection is the method of achieving fertility. Before a  can fertilize an egg, the head of the  must be attached to the wall outside the egg. Due to male infertility, s have difficulty attaching themselves to the egg. Hence, an ICSI treatment is used, where the  is directly placed into the cytoplasm of the egg.

In a traditional IVF however, more than thousands of s are placed near the egg. Out of all of them, one  swims the fastest to achieve fertilization of the egg. The procedure is not assisted, as we see in an ICSI.

Main Causes of Going through an ICSI Treatment

As mentioned earlier, an ICSI treatment is taken only when the male partner suffers from infertility. There can be many causes for infertility in men:

    A male is unable to produce s or produces very few s.
     immobility.
    A blockage in the reproductive track which prevents the  from coming out.
    Surgical removal of the testicles.
    Presence of high level of anti bodies in the semen.
    Using frozen  previously extracted from the male partner.
    When there has been a previous failure using IVF treatment.

Intracytoplasmic  Injection Risks

 

It is rare, but in general intracytoplasmic  injection risks include certain birth defects. They can be Beckwith-Wiedemann Syndrome, Angelman Syndrome, Hypospadias and abnormalities associated with   chromosomes. Genetic diseases from the male can also be passed on to the baby. But, not to worry! A successful ICSI procedure and an IVF treatment can always be expected. Healthy babies are born every day and it is only 1% of the couples that faces the rarity.

 

Q1: How does ICSI differ from IVF?

A: Both infertility treatments take place with little difference. In IVF, the s are placed next to the egg in a Petri dish for fertilization. In ICSI,  is injected inside the egg.

 

Q2: How successful ICSI can be?

A: With ICSI infertility treatment process, the percentage of fertilizing egg is about 60-70%.