ICSI became clinical available for treatment in male factor infertility in 1994.
ICSI is the
process by which individual sperm are injected directly into the egg. It has
revolutionised the treatment of male factor infertility. Individual sperm are
picked up into a sharp glass pippette and injected into the cytoplasm of the
egg. This form of treatment requires IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) and gives men
the possibility of fathering their own genetic child rather than having to use
donated sperm.
There have been suggestions that since the fertilization rates for ICSI are
usually in the order of 70% upwards it might be considered as the preferred
method of fertilisation - that would howver add an additional level of
technological intervention which many would find unacceptable as well as being
expensive.I
Experience is suggesting that for couples with normal semen there is no evidence
of a difference in fertilization rates per retrieved oocyte or pregnancy rates
between ICSI and conventional IVF. For couples with borderline semen ICSI
results in higher fertilization rates (all) than IVF. Couples with very poor
semen will have better fertilization outcomes with ICSI than with SUZI (subzonal
sperm insertion) or conventional IVF.
This video was filmed by WEBROM(R) Productions at the Essex Fertility Centre, Holly House Hospital, Buckhurst Hill, Essex, UK and is show with permission from Andy Glew, Snior Clinical Embryologist.