ICSI - Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection

Icsi - Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection has revolutionized the treatment of male factor infertility. Individual sperm cells can be injected directly into the cytoplasm of the egg thus by-passing the route by which sperm have to swim to find the egg and then penetrate the zona pellucida. Although it seems that the initial processes whereby the paternal genetic material is released into the egg the end product of the fertilization process is the same.

Most fertility centres will offer ICSI in appropriate cases and several thousand babies have been born world wide. So far the indications see to confirm that there are no significant differences in abnormalities when compared with IVF and the normal population. However caution suggests that the data on all ICSI birth should be collected and reviewed from time to time. It is also possible (may be probable) that some of the reasons for the initial male factor problem (which necessitated in applying ICSI) are carried over into the male offspring.

Watch the process by which individual sperm are injected diretly into the egg. It has revolutionised the treatment of male factor infertility. This sequence runs in a loop - you can watch it over and over again.

Animated sequence from a video by Sjörgren, Lundin, Hamberger, Löfman, & Nillson - Department of OBS & GYN, Göteborg University, Sweden