When to prefer ICSI over IVF
What is IVF?
In Vitro Fertilisation or IVF is a fertility treatment procedure in which the sperm and the egg are collected and then implanted into the female uterus after fertilization.
What is ICSI?
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection or ICSI fertility treatment is a type of IVF procedure in which fertilization is done by injecting the sperm into the egg’s cytoplasm through a tiny needle.
Procedures of IVF and ICSI
How is IVF done?
As described by Dr. Shweta, the best IVF doctor in Noida, IVF fertility treatment is done by following procedures.
- Firstly, a medical examination is done to get an idea of the general health of both partners. Tests are usually done to determine the sperm count and quality of the male, the egg count and quality of the female, as well as other health conditions such as thyroid, diabetes, and so on.
- After the examination, some hormonal injections are given to the female to stimulate the ovary and increase the production of eggs. An injection is also given to prevent the eggs from getting released before they are collected.
- The eggs are then made mature enough for fertilization and retrieved from the woman through a fine needle.
- After this, the sperm is collected and stored in a container with the eggs to fertilize naturally.
- After fertilization, the embryo is developed under observation, and after 2-3 days, it is implanted into the uterus.
How is ICSI fertility treatment done?
In accordance with the words of the best IVF doctor in Noida, Dr. Shweta, ICSI fertility treatment is done in the following steps.
- Semen is collected from the male to retrieve the sperm, and eggs are retrieved from the female for further procedure.
- The sperm is injected into the egg’s cytoplasm through a tiny needle called a micropipette.
- After fertilization, the embryos are kept under lab observation for a few days, where their growth and development are monitored to select the most suitable one for implantation.
- After the embryo is developed enough, the chosen embryo is finally transferred to the uterus using an ultrasound-guided catheter.
What benefits does ICSI have over IVF?
According to Dr. Shweta, the best IVF doctor in Noida, in some instances, ICSI proves to be a better treatment than IVF with higher rates of success. Some situations in which ICSI becomes more beneficial than IVF are as follows.
- Generally, IVF is preferred by the doctor in case of female fertility, while ICSI is recommended to solve issues with male fertility.
- If the standard IVF process repeatedly fails for a couple, they are suggested to opt for ICSI as it has a better chance of success because of direct fertilization through the injection of sperm.
- For patients in which the male partners have a low sperm count or poor mobility and shape of the sperm, ICSI is a better choice than IVF.
- In patients with retrograde ejaculation, sperm needs to be collected from the urine of the male. In such cases, ICSI fertility treatment is preferred.
- Some male patients may have anti-sperm antibodies in their semen. ICSI treatment is effective in such patients to have a positive outcome of the treatment.
- If the patient chooses to get the treatment done with frozen eggs or sperm, ICSI is a better choice. This is because the frozen sperms may get inactive, whereas, in females, frozen eggs may develop hardness in the egg’s outer shell. In this case, fertilization can be promoted through ICSI fertility treatment.
What are some risks of ICSI over IVF?
Most of the risks of ICSI fertility treatment are the same as IVF treatment. But, patients who choose to have ICSI fertility treatment may also be more prone to certain risks. Doctors will brief you about the pros and cons of ICSI prior to your treatment. Dr. Shweta Goswami, the best IVF doctor in Noida, has informed us about some of these risk factors, which are as follows.
- Since ICSI is an invasive procedure involving pushing contact while injecting sperm into the cytoplasm of the egg, it may cause damage to some eggs.
- Babies born from ICSI procedures are more prone to congenital disabilities like Angelman syndrome, hypospadias, Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, etc., compared to babies born from IVF procedures.
- Male babies conceived through ICSI have a higher risk of developing fertility issues later in their life.
- ICSI fertility treatment is usually more costly than IVF.
