Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

The Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) can be a great solution for couples facing male infertility. The procedure is an advanced micromanipulation technique of directly injecting a single, carefully selected spermatozoon into the cytoplasm of a mature egg.

ICSI has helped millions of couples worldwide since its introduction in 1992. Using the procedure, embryology specialists at SILK Medical can assist patients even with the most severe cases of male factor infertility through the clinic’s personalized IVF programs.

Indications for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection

ICSI program can be recommended as part of the IVF treatment if any of the following indicators are present:

Sperm Pathology:
ICSI is highly effective in cases of azoospermia (absence of sperm in the ejaculate), asthenozoospermia (reduced sperm motility), oligozoospermia (low sperm count), or teratozoospermia (abnormal sperm morphology).

Immunological Factors:
When more than 50% of spermatozoa are covered with antisperm antibodies, as detected by a positive MAR test, ICSI can help overcome this barrier to fertilization.

Surgical Sperm Retrieval:
If spermatozoa need to be obtained through testicular biopsy, ICSI is the most suitable method for achieving fertilization.

Previous IVF Challenges:
ICSI may be recommended if prior conventional IVF attempts resulted in less than 20% of good-quality fertilized eggs or poor embryo quality.

Retrograde Ejaculation:
In cases where semen is ejaculated into the bladder instead of through the urethra, ICSI can be performed using surgically retrieved sperm.

Unexplained Infertility:
When the cause of infertility remains unclear after thorough testing, ICSI may be suggested to increase the chances of successful fertilization.

Cryopreserved Gametes:
If the quality of eggs or sperm has been compromised due to the cryopreservation process, ICSI can help compensate for this and improve fertilization rates.

Limited Egg Quantity or Quality:
When a small number of eggs are retrieved or their quality is suboptimal, ICSI can maximize the potential for successful fertilization.

Advanced Parental Age:
For couples where the man is over 40 or the woman is over 35, ICSI may be recommended to counteract the potential impact of age on fertility.

SILK Medical ICSI Procedure

For better flexibility, ICSI can be performed in conjunction with both stimulated and natural cycle IVF programs. Additionally, the procedure can be carried out using donor eggs or sperm, providing an option for couples who may require the use of donor materials to achieve best possible results.

Once the eggs and sperm have been obtained, SILK Medical embryologists will prepare them for the ICSI. All related procedures are carried out in the clinic’s state-of-the-art embryological laboratory, equipped with advanced technology and maintained to the highest standards of quality control.