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ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection)

ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is an advanced assisted reproductive technique used in IVF where a single healthy sperm is directly injected into the cytoplasm of an egg to achieve fertilization. It is especially useful in cases of severe male infertility.

ICSI Treatment

ICSI is a highly precise laboratory procedure performed by an embryologist and is often recommended when sperm count, motility, or morphology is significantly impaired, or when previous IVF cycles have failed fertilization.

Indications for ICSI

  • Severe male factor infertility
  • Very low sperm count (oligospermia)
  • Poor sperm motility (asthenospermia)
  • Abnormal sperm morphology
  • Previous IVF fertilization failure
  • Surgically retrieved sperm cases

Procedure of ICSI

  • Ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval (same as IVF)
  • Sperm collection or surgical sperm retrieval if needed
  • Selection of a single healthy sperm under microscope
  • Direct injection of sperm into egg cytoplasm
  • Embryo culture in laboratory
  • Embryo transfer into uterus
  • Pregnancy test after 10–14 days

Advantages of ICSI

  • Highly effective for severe male infertility
  • Requires only a single healthy sperm
  • Improves fertilization rates in IVF cycles
  • Useful in previous fertilization failure cases
  • Can be combined with genetic testing (PGT)
  • Advanced and precise laboratory technique

Risks and Considerations

  • Similar risks as IVF (multiple pregnancy, OHSS)
  • Requires highly skilled embryology lab
  • Emotional and financial considerations
  • Not always required in mild male factor cases
  • Success depends on egg and embryo quality

Success Factors

  • Quality of eggs retrieved
  • Health of sperm selected
  • Embryo development quality
  • Uterine lining receptivity
  • Age of female partner
  • Expertise of embryology team

When to Consult a Specialist

Couples with severe male infertility, previous failed fertilization in IVF, or unexplained infertility after evaluation should consult a fertility specialist to assess whether ICSI is the most suitable treatment option.