Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is an advanced in vitro fertilization (IVF) technique that involves the direct injection of a single sperm cell into an egg. This procedure is an innovative approach to treating male infertility. It enables couples facing challenges with natural conception to obtain embryos and significantly increase their chances of pregnancy.
The procedure is performed using a special microscope and micromanipulation devices. This allows the embryologist to work with microscopic material as accurately as possible. ICSI requires not only the most modern equipment for infertility treatment, but also a high level of skill and experience of the staff. At Ovumia Alternatyva Group, this procedure is performed only by highly qualified and licensed embryologists who have more than one hundred successful ICSIs.
Indications for the use of ICSI
- Male infertility with abnormal sperm counts:
- low sperm count
- reduced sperm motility;
- presence of sperm with a high level of morphological changes.
- Azoospermia (complete absence of sperm in the ejaculate), which requires sperm extraction from testicular tissue (TESA).
- Previous unsuccessful attempts at natural fertilization or IVF.
- Use of frozen oocytes (cryopreservation of eggs).
- Low number of eggs as a result of puncture, for example, in women with reduced ovarian reserve or at an older age, when an increase in the fertilization rate is required compared to the traditional insemination method.
- High level of infertility in partners, which makes other methods of fertilization less effective.
- The presence of genetic risk factors in parents, which may require preimplantation genetic testing to select healthy embryos.
In all these cases, ICSI increases the likelihood of successful fertilization by ensuring the direct injection of a sperm cell into the egg, thereby avoiding potential failures associated with traditional fertilization methods.
ICSI Procedure Steps
One of the key advantages of ICSI is that only one active sperm is needed for each egg. This means that even a small amount of sperm can be sufficient for the procedure. This feature becomes especially important for men with azoospermia – the complete absence of sperm in the ejaculate. In such cases, we can offer the TESA procedure (sperm extraction from testicular tissue), which allows us to obtain sperm by biopsying a small amount of testicular tissue. This allows even patients with severe spermatogenesis problems to have a chance of successful fertilization.
In the medical laboratory of Ovumia Alternatyva Group, the fertilization rate using ICSI reaches very high rates: 80-90 %. This means that out of every ten eggs, approximately nine are successfully fertilized. This ensures a high level of procedure effectiveness and increases patients’ chances of achieving pregnancy.
The embryos obtained through ICSI do not differ from those formed during natural fertilization. They go through the same stages of development and are completely ready for implantation into a woman’s uterus. The decision to use ICSI is made by a fertility specialist after a detailed medical examination of the partners and an analysis of all the factors that may affect the success of fertilization. It is worth noting that many patients choose to undergo ICSI even when the method is not clearly indicated in order to maximize the chances of success.
ICSI safety and genetic control
The ICSI method is safe and does not cause genetic abnormalities in future children. At the same time, it is worth remembering that genetic factors can affect the health of their offspring. With this in mind, we offer our patients the option of preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD), which allows us to analyze each individual embryo for genetic or chromosomal abnormalities. This screening helps to identify possible genetic abnormalities before the embryo is implanted in the uterus, which ensures a more reliable selection of healthy embryos for further pregnancy.
PGD is an important step in cases where patients have known genetic mutations or a high risk of transmitting hereditary diseases. It reduces the likelihood of transmitting genetic abnormalities and ensures the birth of healthy children. This approach also helps to avoid difficult decisions in the future if genetic abnormalities are diagnosed in the early stages of pregnancy.