Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection: a cure for male infertility
City Hospitals is a leading hospital offering Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) in Cochin. One of the most common and successful male infertility treatments, ICSI involves injecting the sperm directly into the egg. Every year, City Hospitals holds out hope for couples wanting to be parents by carrying out the time-tested ICSI in Cochin. For fertilisation to take place, the head of the sperm has to penetrate the outer layer of the egg and reach the cytoplasm. When the sperm is unable to do so on its own, ICSI treatment is recommended.How ICSI works
ICSI is used in nearly 50% of all IVF procedures. Normally in an IVF cycle, fertilisation takes place when the egg is mixed with sperm in a culture dish. If fertilisation doesn’t occur on its own, a single sperm is injected into the mature egg through the ICSI procedure. Once the sperm is injected, the fertilized egg is allowed to grow in the laboratory for one to five days. The embryo is subsequently transferred into the womb at the correct time.Who can benefit from ICSI treatment?
ICSI is used in nearly 50% of all IVF procedures. Normally in an IVF cycle, fertilisation takes place when the egg is mixed with sperm in a culture dish. If fertilisation doesn’t occur on its own, a single sperm is injected into the mature egg through the ICSI procedure. Once the sperm is injected, the fertilized egg is allowed to grow in the laboratory for one to five days. The embryo is subsequently transferred into the womb at the correct time.ICSI is recommended for the following:
- Very low sperm count
- Trouble in ejaculating (either due to injury, disease, or irreversible vasectomy)
- Abnormally shaped and slow-moving sperms
- Failure of previous IVF procedures
- Inability of sperm to attach to the egg on its own
- Blockage in reproductive tract
How long does ICSI take?
A typical cycle of Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection takes four to six weeks to complete. After the embryo is transferred, a visit to the fertility clinic for a check up is required within two weeks. Visit City Hospitals to schedule an appointment for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection in Cochin.Success rate
After ICSI, the average fertilisation rate lies between 50-80%. Younger men tend to have a higher success rate with ICSI: 32% for men under 35 and 28% for men between 35 and 37.Risks associated with ICSI
Though ICSI is an effective method, it is important to take note of certain risks associated with the procedure:- The fertilised egg may not grow into an embryo
- The embryo may stop growing even after injection of sperm
- There is a slight chance that ICSI may damage some of the eggs
- There is a possibility that the father will pass on genetic infertility to his male progeny born out of ICSI
In a natural pregnancy, the chances of a baby developing major birth defects lie between 1.5% and 5%. For ICSI-treated embryos, the chance of birth defects is in the range of 5-7%.