ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) fertility treatment

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All our specialists offer ICSI services.

With ICSI, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, the embryologist injects a single sperm into a single egg. This technique helps couples who are infertile because of male infertility factors, such as the inability of the man's sperm to fertilize an egg.

ICSI was developed by reproductive medical specialists in Belgium. Today, with more than a thousand "ICSI" babies born worldwide, the technique is no longer considered experimental. It has been endorsed by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine.

In most ART procedures, the embryologist mixes the egg with millions of sperm. This approach is successful in 3 out of 4 cases. ICSI improves the odds in difficult cases, since the sperm does not have to travel to the egg or penetrate it. In addition, the embryologist needs only one sperm to fertilize the egg, not 60 million.

Types of Sperm
Types of Sperm

The Procedure

The eggs are gathered from the woman's ovaries, just as in the IVF procedure, and the sperm is collected from the man through masturbation or surgery.

Using a microscope to see the sperm, the embryologist gently draws one sperm into a pipette (a microscopic "eye-dropper"). The tip of the pipette is then guided towards the waiting egg, which is held steady with another pipette.

The embryologist inserts the sharp tip of the sperm-containing pipette into the egg, then ejects the sperm into the egg. Finally, the tip of the empty pipette is removed from the egg. After picking up the sperm, the microfertilization process takes less than ten minutes.

The ICSI Process
The ICSI Process

After ICSI, eggs can quickly repair the small hole made in the membrane by the pipette. The hole is relatively small, since the egg is much larger than the tip of the pipette. Fortunately, the human egg is encased in a tough, elastic membrane that doesn?t crack, shatter, or crumble.

Are ICSI babies more likely to have birth defects?

Despite widespread use and acceptance, ICSI is still a relatively new procedure. Currently there are no reports of increased birth defects or congenital abnormalities in babies born through ICSI. Children born as the result of ICSI are very young and have not yet reached an age to reproduce.

ICSI bypasses the natural selection process at the egg surface that may prevent "undesirable" sperm from fertilizing the egg. This may permit the transfer of certain male infertility conditions that have a genetic basis. Where a genetic basis to male infertility is suspected or known, the couple can consult with a genetic counselor before choosing to use ICSI.

See a fertility specialist now
All our specialists offer ICSI services.