Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI): Solution for couples with male factor infertility

This is an automatically translated article.

This article is professionally consulted by Master, Doctor Nguyen Thi Cam Van - IVF Lab Doctor - Reproductive Support Center - Vinmec Times City International Hospital. The doctor has experience and strength in performing specialized techniques of assisted reproduction in the IVF lab.
Normally, the egg is fertilized when the sperm is able to move inside the egg, however, in case the sperm cannot penetrate inside the egg due to the thick outer layer of the egg or weak sperm leading to male infertility. . In this case, the doctor will perform the technique of injecting sperm into the egg cytoplasm to help the sperm complete the fertilization process.

1. What is sperm injection into the cytoplasm of the ovum?

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is performed at assisted reproductive centers by injecting a healthy sperm directly into the egg to create an embryo. This technique is performed to help fertilize couples who are infertile due to poor sperm quality, malformed sperm, or even no sperm in their semen, or couples who have had a miscarriage. previous failure of in vitro fertilization (IVF). This technique has brought many successes to infertile couples who want to have children.
ICSI is performed similarly to IVF, starting with the woman using drugs to stimulate the ovaries to increase the number of eggs. Then, these eggs will be aspirated vaginally under the guidance of an ultrasound machine and the eggs will be cultured under suitable conditions at the IVF lab. After taking a semen sample from the husband, the sample will be filtered to select good motile sperm with good morphology. Then, using a modern microinjection system, a sperm with good morphology and motility is captured with a glass needle and injected directly into the egg.

After intracytoplasmic sperm injection, the eggs will be further cultured in the IVF lab and evaluated for development daily. When embryos are created, good quality embryos will be transferred back to the mother's uterus. Then, the doctor and the couple will monitor the symptoms of pregnancy, when symptoms appear, the doctor will use blood tests or ultrasound to determine if the mother is pregnant or not.

2. When is sperm injection performed into the cytoplasm of the ovum?

The doctor may recommend ICSI if:
Men have very low sperm count Sperm are irregularly shaped or have low motility The couple has had previous IVF but no or very few eggs are available fertilization. The husband does not have sperm in his semen that needs to be surgically collected from the testicle or epididymis. For example, a husband who has had a vasectomy or has a blockage that prevents sperm from ejaculating due to illness, injury, or genetic disease, or because the husband has a low sperm count. The husband has performed sperm storage before undergoing treatment for a disease where the treatment has adversely affected sperm quality, for example cancer treatment. However, the quality of stored sperm is not high, especially if the sperm is stored because the husband's fertility is at stake. Thawed eggs from egg freezing cycles

3. Success rate of intracytoplasmic sperm injection

ICSI technique can perform insemination of 50% to 80% of eggs. But some problems may occur during or after ICSI implementation such as:
Some or all of the eggs may be damaged. Eggs may not develop into embryos even after being injected with sperm. The embryo may stop developing.

4. Can ICSI affect my baby's development?

Normally, when a woman becomes pregnant by natural means, there is a 1.5% to 3% chance of having a baby with a birth defect. The chance of having a baby with birth defects when performing ICSI is similar to IVF and not higher than with natural conception.

Vinmec IVF Reproductive Center is the address of infertility treatment - infertility is chosen by many couples. So far, the Center has performed fertility support for over 1000 infertile couples with a success rate of over 40%. This rate is equivalent to developed countries such as the UK, USA, Australia,...
The center gathers a team of leading experts in the field of obstetrics and gynecology nationally and internationally, trained in centers leading in the world such as in the US, Singapore, Japan, Australia and famous fertility centers in the world.
With high expertise and extensive experience, Vinmec IVF Center's experts are capable of synchronously and comprehensively deploying the most advanced assisted reproductive techniques today, helping realize the dream of becoming a parent of hundreds of families across Vietnam.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.

Reference source: Hfea.gov.uk; Ucsfhealth.org; Reproductivefacts.org