ICSI Treatment in Hyderabad
The ICSI procedure is a specialized form of IVF treatment primarily used to treat severe infertility cases in men. During IVF, sperm and the egg are placed in a petri dish so that the sperm can penetrate into the egg for fertilization. Whereas in the ICSI procedure, healthy single sperm is taken and directly placed into the selected egg with the help of a needle to promote fertilization. ICSI may be used in conjunction with IVF called IVF-ICSI to improve the success rate of fertilization.
At IRA Fertility Center, we select healthy sperm using a variety of techniques. Our team of highly experienced fertility doctors led by Dr. Mounika Reddy has excellent skills in selecting healthy sperm in ICSI procedures.
When should ICSI be performed?
Before the sperm fertilize the egg, the sperm has to swim a long way to reach the egg, and once it reaches the egg, it latches onto the egg’s surface. After attaching, sperm penetrates the outer shell and reaches the egg’s interior (cytoplasm), which is the site of fertilization.
In the whole process, there are many factors that prevent the sperm from fertilizing the egg. Such as, the sperm may be unable to breach the outer egg layer because the layer may be thick to breach, or the sperm may be weak. In such cases, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a viable fertility treatment that can be done alone or combined with In vitro fertilization (IVF).
Some reasons to choose ICSI are:
- Sperm count is considerably low
- The motility of the sperm is poor
- The shape of the sperm is abnormal
- Sperm function is inhibited by anti-sperm antibodies
- An unsuccessful attempt to reverse a vasectomy
- Unexplained infertility
- Low egg production/poor quality eggs
- The use of frozen eggs
ICSI is also recommended in case of structural abnormalities related to the fallopian tubes and uterus. Other female factors like premature ovarian failure, irregular ovulation, endometriosis, and low ovarian reserves are also ideal conditions for ICSI.
How is the ICSI procedure performed?
An ICSI procedure is quite similar to an IVF procedure. It involves different stages, which include ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, fertilization, ICSI, and embryo transfer.
Ovarian stimulation
- Stimulation: The same as in IVF, ovaries are stimulated with fertility drugs to promote the growth of follicles to release more eggs.
- Control: Ultrasounds or blood tests are used to monitor the response of ovaries so that the follicles size and quantity are controlled accordingly.
- Egg release: To promote final egg maturation and to facilitate the egg release from the follicle, a trigger Injection, hCG – Human Chorionic Gonadotropin, is administered.
Egg Retrieval
The eggs are collected around 35 to 48 hours after injecting the trigger. The eggs are retrieved under ultrasound guidance when you are sedated.
Fertilization
- Sperm Selection: A sperm sample is collected from the male partner, and it is washed and processed to select a healthy and motile sperm for insemination. Sperm selection is done by using a medium known as Sperm Slow. A compound called hyaluronan (HA) is present in this medium, where it binds the sperm that possess intact DNA, allowing them to be selected for injection. Embryologists preferentially use the better quality, more mature sperm for ICSI, i.e., the sperm bound to HA is used.
- Egg maturity assessment: In order to ensure the maturity of the eggs, the cumulus cells around them are removed by gentle enzymes. With ICSI, only genetically matured eggs are inseminated.
The ICSI procedure
- Insemination: A single healthy sperm is directly injected into a matured egg.
- Fertilization: The inseminated egg is placed in an incubator and monitored around 16-18 hours for fertilization.
- Culture: Embryos are then grown in a lab by creating an ideal environment for 2-5 days.
Embryo Transfer
- Transferring the embryo: The selected embryo for transfer is placed in a catheter and then gently released into the uterus through the cervix. Most often, one embryo is transferred, but in some cases, two are transferred. The pregnancy test can be taken after two weeks for confirmation.
- Verification: Embryos of good quality left without transfer can be frozen and stored. They can be used as backup embryos in future cycles if the first cycle fails or for another pregnancy.
Are there any risks associated with ICSI?
In natural pregnancies, about 1.5% to 3% of babies are likely to be born with significant birth defects. It is possible for a baby to be born with congenital disabilities even after ICSI, but only in rare instances.
Naturally, conception can only occur when healthy sperm penetrate the outer layer of an egg and fertilize it. Unfortunately, ICSI treatment can bypass the natural process, which may allow a weak sperm to fertilize the egg. However, birth defects are relatively rare and are almost as frequent as natural pregnancy.
The success rate of the ICSI procedure
Compared to other ART procedures, ICSI has a higher success rate. Having ICSI provides better chances of conception. Generally, 50-80% of eggs are fertilized during ICSI. Remember that no process is guaranteed to be 100% successful. But it’s worth trying than missing the chance.
Anyone can suffer from infertility, and it can be difficult for them to cope with it. To know more details, meet our fertility expert Dr. Mounica Reddy, Gynecologist and Fertility doctor, at IRA Fertility Clinic in Hyderabad. She has more than 10 years of experience and treated thousands of couples with gynecological problems that cause infertility. Make a consultation with the doctor to achieve the dream of having a baby.
