Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection - ICSI

One of the most important advances in IVF treatment is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). ICSI is a micromanipulation technique developed in the early '90s that uses a small needle to inject a single sperm directly into the egg to achieve fertilization.

How ICSI Contributes to Greater Success

One of the greatest challenges in egg fertilization is the ability of sperm to travel up the fallopian tubes in enough quantity and quality, and with enough speed, to contact the egg during ovulation. The process of In Vitro Fertilization increases the success rate of fertilization by mixing sperm directly with the egg in the laboratory, and then the fertilized embryo is transferred into the uterus where it attempts to implant and grow.

The fertilization success rate can be further increased through a process called ICSI.

The ICSI Procedure

In the ICSI process, sperm is collected, washed and placed in a centrifuge to separate the healthiest cells. The embryologist, using special micromanipulation techniques under microscopic control, selects the most viable sperm in a glass pipette needle and injects a single sperm cell directly into the cytoplasm of each egg that has been retrieved. Each fertilized egg is cultured in the laboratory until it develops into an embryo (3-4 days). At this point the embryologist and the doctor together select the most healthy and well-developed embryo(s) for transfer, and additional embryos can be frozen for future use.

ICSI is especially useful for treating severe male factor infertility, such as low sperm motility, abnormal sperm morphology, or little or no living sperm in the semen.

ICSI enables doctors to use sperm collected directly from the testicles, using techniques such as Testicular Sperm Aspiration (TESA). Fertilization rates using IVF and ICSI in cases of severe male factor infertility are similar or sometimes superior to those of couples using IVF with normal sperm. Therefore, individuals with severe male factor infertility that in the past would have been considered “sterile” can have children using IVF with ICSI.

All stages of this treatment take place in our facility. You will see the same familiar faces throughout the entire cycle. For more information about this procedure, or to set up an appointment with Dr. Saadat, please contact us at (310) 278-7590.