Home | About Us | Privacy Policy | Contact
Us
What is Icsi
If you are one of the many people who have been diagnosed with male factor infertility, you may have spent some time wondering what is ICSI? Perhaps you have heard about icsi, which stands for intracytoplasmic sperm injection, in your doctor’s office or maybe while researching infertility online or maybe your partner has mentioned to you that this could be the reason that you have not been successful at conceiving a child. While this sounds like a very difficult term to describe, it is relatively simple.But before we answer the question what is icsi, it is a good idea to find out why this procedure is Once a couple is seen by a reproductive endocrinologist who can help to pinpoint the problem, the next step may be seeking the appropriate fertility treatment. The kind of treatment that a doctor will suggest depends on what they diagnose as far as the reason for the infertility. When the issue is male factor infertility, the cause could be a low sperm count or other issues directly related to sperm. Okay, so what is icsi? Icsi is when a single sperm is injected directly into an egg under a microscope in a lab. Though some people choose to do ivf with icsi they do not always go hand in hand. When ivf, or in vitro fertilization, is done without icsi, the sperm, which may or may not be washed, are placed in a lab container along with mature eggs. This is the preferred method of ivf when there are no fertility issues that may block the sperm from penetrating the egg. So what is icsi used for and why? The answer is fairly simple. Some men have problems with their sperm that may only be diagnosed with a semen analysis. Once this test is done the results will show whether or not low motility or morphology issues are the cause of infertility. If there are motility issues, the sperm may not be able to penetrate the egg without assistance. When morphology is the issue causing the male factor infertility, isci may be the way to go because the lab technician will be the one to pick a mature sperm to inject into the egg. It is also important to remember that male factor infertility is not the only reason that this technique may be used. On rare occasions the issue that is preventing a couple from conceiving may be related to the egg and not the sperm. Another situation where sperm injection may be an appropriate form of treatment is when donor eggs are used. Because this is special situation, those involved may not want to risk the chance that the egg will not be penetrated by the sperm unless they are purposefully inserted into the egg. Similarly, when donor sperm are used, this technique may also be the best option to help fertilization take place. Now that we have answered the question, what is icsi you may be wondering what happens next. After the sperm has been injected into the egg, anything can happen. Ideally, what you want to see next is that the egg becomes fertilized. With luck this will happen with a day or so of the injection. Since there are many different factors that may influence the outcome, it is difficult to generalize regarding the pregnancy rate of this procedure. Each situation is quite different and if you are dealing with advanced maternal age and low sperm quality, the chance of success is not as great. These are both factors that you will need to take into account when you are choosing between treatments. When you go to see your doctor, they will discuss this option as well as other options for treatment with you in hopes that there will be some kind of solution to your fertility issue. If you are still asking what is icsi and wondering if it is the right choice for you and your situation, then it may be time to talk with a doctor about your options regarding fertility treatments. It is important that if you want to do all that you can to become pregnant or to help your partner become pregnant, that you explore every option available to you. No matter what conclusion you reach, you will feel better if you know that the decision you make is an informed one. | |
| Personalabs.com = quick, affordable, and discreet health testing, drug testing, and sexually transmitted disease
testing. |
Please note that all advice on this website is just our opinion and it should not be considered medical fact.
For further reading on the subject of Infertility we absolutely recommend that you visit www.nlm.nih.gov