Icsi Fertility
If you are new to the world of infertility, you may have never heard
of an icsi fertility treatment. The first thing that you should know if
your doctor is recommending that you and your partner consider icsi, intracytoplasmic sperm injection if you choose
to do in vitro fertilization, is the reason why your doctor thinks it might be a good idea. One of the main reasons
that doctors would recommend that you try an icsi fertility treatment is if severe male factor
infertility is the reason you are seeking treatment.
When you first see a fertility specialist one of the tests that they will run is a
semen analysis to see if male factor infertility is the reason you are not getting pregnant. Of the many things
that they will look
at when the results of the analysis come in is the sperm count. As long as
the count is within normal range, the doctors will not consider this a reason for infertility. Another aspect of
the test results that the doctors will want to look at is the motility of the sperm.
If the doctor sees that the motility of the sperm could possibly be the issue, then
the recommended treatment would not be an icsi fertility treatment, but may be a round or two of iui’s with or
without medication. The difference between an icsi fertility treatment and an iui is that an iui is a form of
artificial insemination and has nothing to do with in vitro fertilization. When an iui is done, the sperm is
injected into the woman’s uterus after it has been washed in hopes that fertilization of the egg will occur a bit
easier.
In order for a couple to receive an icsi fertility treatment a round of in vitro
fertilization must also take place. Doctors will often recommend that when the results of a semen analysis show
abnormal morphology of sperm, then in vitro fertilization with an icsi fertility treatment will be the best bet for
getting pregnant. The reason that a sperm injection may need to be done with your in vitro fertilization when
morphology is the issue is because the lab specialist is able to single out a single sperm that is shaped correctly
and insert it into the egg in the lab.
This is why it is so important that both partners get tested to see if they have
medical issues that may be causing the infertility. Another situation where icsi
infertility treatment may be needed is if the woman has eggs that are difficult for sperm to fertilize. While
this not a common problem, some women who may be more advanced in age may find that their eggs are not as easily
penetrated by sperm. By incorporating an intracytoplasmic sperm injection into the in vitro fertilization process,
the chances that the egg will become fertilized may increase.
Whenever you and your partner are considering a fertility treatment like iui or in
vitro fertilization it is important that you become as knowledgeable on the subject as possible. An even better
idea is to read all that you can on each of the different treatments so that you can choose one based on the
knowledge that you have gained. Remember also that if you have any reservations at all that it may be best not to
go through with a procedure. Even if you are in the advance stages of a cycle of in vitro with an icsi fertility treatment planned, if you feel that something is not right, then it is
okay to step back and rethink your decision.
Male factor infertility is a big burden for men to carry when it is found out that it
is the only reason a couple is unable to get pregnant. Thanks to the icsi procedure and in vitro fertilization,
couples no longer have to sit back and let their dreams of parenthood pass them by. While some critics may argue
against the procedure, there are many doctors that do not hesitate to recommend it to their patients that have no
other options for getting pregnant. If you are unsure that icsi is right for you, you need to remember that you are
the one who gets to decide what treatment you receive.
The best thing that you can do when your doctor presents the idea that an icsi
fertility treatment is the best chance you and your partner have at getting pregnant is to take some time to decide
if icsi is right for both of you. When you become parents whether it is through this fertility treatment or
another, you will realize just how important it is that you make decisions about things just like this as a team.
You never know if just talking about the pros and cons of this treatment will help to make a hard decision a bit
easier for both of you.
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