Intracystoplasmic Sperm Injection (ISCI)

Intracystoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) may be required when the male has very low numbers of motile sperm and/or abnormally shaped sperm, or when there are problems with the sperm penetrating the egg. Problems with sperm penetration may be due to a toughening or thickening of the outer shell (zona pellucida) of the egg. ICSI also can be effective when there are antisperm antibodies in the semen (products of the immune system which may otherwise attack and destroy sperm before it can reach the egg), or when previous attempts at fertilization using IVF techniques were unsuccessful. ICSI may also be used when an infertility cycle relies on a limited number of sperm, including frozen sperm collected prior to cancer treatment, or those obtained from the male’s tissue using microsurgical techniques. Semen analysis and prior history will help us determine whether ICSI is necessary. However, recently the technology of single sperm injection has applied to almost all patients undergoing IVF treatment.

While ICSI provides substantial benefit, there are some risks associated, such as damage to the egg during the injection process. In addition, some evidence suggests that males with semen deficiencies may have a higher frequency of chromosomal abnormalities, which could possibly be passed on to their male offspring.