Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)

Until recently, it was not possible to help couples where the man had a serious problem in the number or motility of his sperm, or even complete absence of spermatozoa in his semen (azoospermia). In such cases of severe male sterility, the only option these couples had was to use donor sperm from a sperm bank.

However, these couples can now benefit from the advances in technology and scientific breakthroughs, which led to a technique called ICSI, intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

This is a micromanipulation technique performed on the egg. A very powerful microscope with special tools is used to catch a single sperm with a micromanipulator and inject it into the egg cytoplasm.

This procedure enables conception and procreation in couples where the man has deficient spermatozoa in his semen or spermatozoa without motility or sufficient spermatozoa that are unable to fertilize, for reasons so far unknown, with classic in vitro insemination.

Moreover, in the case of men with complete azoospermia, it is possible to retrieve even a minimal number of spermatozoa, including premature spermatozoa, from the testicle using a thin needle and local anaesthesia. Then, a single sperm is used to fertilize an egg, and the now fertilized eggs are painlessly transferred into the uterus.

Couples must know that 1-5% of attempts after egg collection do not result in fertilised eggs. This may be due to sperm or egg problems or to unexplained factors, therefore couples must consult with the Clinic’s doctors to decide on how to effectively manage these problems.