What is ICSI?

ICSI - intracytoplasmic sperm injection is a refinement of the IVF technique and offers an effective treatment to couples when the partner has a sperm disorder. 

ICSI offers hope to couples with an increased risk of fertilisation failure due to low sperm counts or sperm disorders.

When sperm fails to fertilise the egg naturally or during IVF, this is usually because the sperm are unable to attach to or penetrate the egg's outer and inner membranes.

This is particularly so with men with low sperm counts often in association with reduced sperm motility or the presence of antisperm antibodies.

With ICSI, eggs are collected from the woman and sperm from the man in exactly the same way as for IVF.  The best sperm are selected and a single sperm is injected with a tiny needle directly through the membranes into the egg to achieve fertilisation.  If fertilisation occurs, the embryos are replaced as in standard IVF.

ICSI is recommended for patients with an increased risk of fertilisation failure due to a sperm disorder, previously failed fertilisation or following surgical sperm retrieval.