Have you ever heard about the ICSI treatment? It is a procedure that sometimes is used in case of the in vitro fertilization.

During this procedure the sperm is injected right into the egg. It can help in case of men who have low sperm counts because it ensures that the sperm actually reaches the egg. This is why sometimes it is used in case of male infertility.

ICSI Treatment

How can the treatment help?

There are different kinds of infertility problems that the treatment can help with. The most common problems of this kind include low sperm count or motility, lack of sperm in the semen, absent or damaged vas deferens, vasectomy, retrograde ejaculation, immunological problems, and other issues that stop the egg from being fertilized.

Those men who are facing testicular cancer should really consider the treatment called ICSI and for this they might want to freeze their semen before the treatment for later use.

How the treatment works?

The treatment called ICSI is used in case of in vitro fertilization, and so it all starts with preparing the procedure. First of all the women will receive fertility drugs and then the mature ova will be collected.

During the ICSI treatment the sperm of the man will also be collected. It is better to collet it from a semen sample, since it is less invasive. Nonetheless in some cases this is not possible. Another option is to get it right from the testicles through a biopsy.

Then the specialist will inject the sperm into the egg of the woman with the help of a thin needle. During the treatment called ICSI the egg will be naturally resealed, just as in case of natural fertilization.

Just as in case of the in vitro fertilization, the egg is let to develop for a few days, so that the embryo will be transferred into the uterus of the woman.

How effective is it?

At the moment ICSI treatment is known as the most effective fertility treatment in case of male infertility, since the success rate is of about 60%-70% depending on the quality of the sperm. Still after transferring the egg to the uterus the success rate of live birth is of 20%-25%. This is because the fertilized egg needs to develop properly in the uterus.

The risks of the treatment called ICSI

One of the biggest concerns regarding the treatment is the health of the child, since usually poor quality sperm is used. This means that not the strongest sperm will fertilize the egg. All this could cause congenital defects in the baby.

When it comes to ICSI treatment we also have to take into consideration that it is a relatively new procedure, and so the long term effects on the children are yet unknown. Up to now the studies haven’t shown increased chances of  developmental, physical or congenital problems in case of children who have been conceived this way. Now you may know a lot more about the sides of the procedure called ICSI treatment.