Intracytoplasmic sperm injection, commonly referred to as ICSI, is an infertility treatment performed as part of the IVF procedure in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. ICSI is most commonly recommended as part of the IVF procedure when there is a problem with the sperm, including low motility, low sperm count or abnormally shaped sperm. Previous poor fertilization in IVF or low egg number may also prompt the use of ICSI.
The patient and partner's roles in the ICSI process are the same as with a basic IVF procedure. Ovulation induction medications are taken by the female to produce numerous eggs during one cycle and the eggs are then retrieved. The male partner will provide a semen sample by masturbation from which the healthiest sperm will be extracted. If no sperm are available naturally, your physician may schedule a sperm retrieval procedure such as testicular biopsy, microdissection, testicular sperm extraction (TESA) or percutaneous sperm aspirations(PESA) around the time of egg retrieval. Once the eggs and sperm have been collected, the embryologist will inject one sperm into the center of each egg. If fertilization occurs, the healthiest embryos will be transferred into the female's uterine cavity. A blood test will be performed approximately two weeks later to determine if the patient is pregnant.
