Today, infertility and its various causes have risen due to the hectic schedule and lifestyle followed by young couples. 10% to 14% of couples in India suffer from varied fertility issues. Advancements in medical science have made it possible to achieve pregnancy, even in the case of infertility.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection or ICSI treatment is a specialised In-Vitro Fertilisation type, which is fundamentally used to treat an extreme case of male infertility.
How does it work?
ICSI is performed using fine surgical tools and a high-powered microscope. A sperm cell is injected into the egg’s cytoplasm to develop into an embryo. Doctors suggest it, along with IVF. The next day, they check to see if the egg is fertilised. In case you have reduced sperm motility, low sperm count, or abnormal sperm morphology, ICSI can significantly improve the likelihood of achieving pregnancy.
When doctors at an IVF centre in Pune use IVF with ICSI, the procedure allows otherwise sterile couples to become parents through these steps:
Ovarian stimulation
For ICSI treatment, the woman needs to take fertility medicines to stimulate egg production in the ovaries. During this time, the doctor monitors their development. The procedure is performed when the egg is ready to be retrieved. Medications help stimulate the ovaries for about eight to 14 days to produce several mature eggs, increasing the chances of success.
Sperm and egg retrieval
A doctor collects eggs from the ovaries. The man produces a sperm sample by ejaculating into a cup or through surgery. The sperm retrieval procedure is also performed earlier for freezing. Multiple eggs are harvested from the woman’s ovaries using a fine needle and ultrasound probe. They are combined with the collected sperm for fertilisation. This procedure is not painful but may cause slight bruising and soreness.
Fertilisation
Once retrieved, the semen sample is washed. A single sperm is isolated and injected into an egg using a very fine hollow needle under a microscope. Fertilisation and embryo development take about 24 hours during Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection.
Embryo development and transfer
The fertilised embryos are kept in a lab for three to six days and monitored for signs of growth and development. Once they have reached a certain stage of development, one or two are selected and transferred to the mother’s womb using an ultrasound-guided catheter two or five days after fertilisation.
Pregnancy test
14 days after transferring the embryo, a pregnancy test is done. If it is positive, the treatment is successful. You may also opt for other infertility treatments after consulting your specialist, such as IVF, Intrauterine Insemination, andrology, fertility counselling, vitrification, sperm/egg/embryo donation, endoscopy, and infertility assessment. However, comparing and assessing the IVF cost in Pune is better before opting for the desired fertility centre.
When is it performed?
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is the most common and successful treatment for male infertility.
It is recommended in the following cases when:
- Males have an extremely poor sperm count (much lower than 20,000,000 sperm per millilitre) for ejaculation
- They are experiencing issues with sperm motility (sperm movement)
- Men are facing problems with sperm development
- Men have a high incidence of anti-sperm antibodies which attack and damage sperm and their semen
- Poor sperm quality and quantity in the frozen sample
- Men who have blockages that prevent sperm from being ejaculated, like after a vasectomy
- Couples who aim to increase the number of high-quality embryos obtained from a single egg retrieval
Did you know that ICSI can also be performed when the sperm count of a man is as low as 1 or 2 million/ml?
Benefits of ICSI treatment
The primary advantage of ART techniques such as Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection in IVF is that they boost the fertilisation rate, which increases the number of fertilised eggs eligible for transfer or freezing. For couples encountering male factor infertility, ICSI raises the chances of successful fertilisation compared to traditional insemination methods like IUI. Moreover, ICSI improves the quality of embryos obtained from a single egg retrieval.
Couples who have failed previous IVF attempts may benefit from ICSI treatment. Additionally, they can also test for certain genetic problems through this treatment.
Conclusion
A child is a reason for your happiness. Do not miss out on the emotion of being a parent. Technological advancements are impacting every sector. If you cannot conceive naturally, it is time you get medical assistance to help your family grow.
