Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection or ICSi is a form of Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) used alongside in vitro fertilization. This process involves electing the best sperm with the best mobility and injecting them directly into the fertile ovum with a microneedle. This embryo is then cultured inside a sterile laboratory until it reaches the fifth day of the embryo, also known as the blastocyst phase. Then, the doctors conduct the uterine transfer of the blastocyst to allow the continued development of the womb. It is regarded as a safe and highly effective medical technology for men with various forms of male infertility, such as unhealthy sperm and low sperm count. Furthermore, it is also helpful for those women with low egg counts, thick egg shells, or unhealthy uterus.
There are two ways to get the eggs fertilized using the ICSI method. They are ICSI IVF and ICSI IUI methods. They are as follows:
This process involves the usage of fertility medicines to aid in the production of quality eggs and to stimulate the ovaries kept in the laboratory. The sperm and eggs are kept together after fertilization. The good quality sperms are then transplanted into the uterus for ICSI pregnancy at a later date.
In this form of ICSI treatment, the sperm is inserted into the uterus during the time of ovulation to fertilize for pregnancy.
There are various circumstances when a person requires an ICSI procedure. Some of the situations where this process is required are as follows:
Before the process begins, the healthcare provider collects both eggs and sperm from the participants. For this to happen, the icsi procedure step by step are:
In this step, the female participant takes medication injections for eight to fourteen days to stimulate the ovaries. This allows for the production of multiple eggs at once to mature.
After the ovulation induction process, the doctor uses transvaginal ultrasound technology to guide the insertion of a thin needle through the vaginal walls into the ovaries. It is a mildly painful process, so mind anesthesia is used to assist in pain management.
The sperm is also collected from the male participant on the same day as the egg retrieval. If it is inconvenient for the male partner, the partner can come before for sperm collection. The sperm is frozen until the female partner is ready for egg retrieval.
The analysis occurs immediately to check sperm volume, mobility, and quality. Furthermore, this process is also ideal for people who experience azoospermia, anejaculation, or retrograde ejaculation.
After the reproductive experts from a trusted IVF and Fertility center clinic collect the sperm, the next phase of the process includes the following.
In this process, the embryologist selects the healthy mature eggs and places them on the lab dish. The egg is held firmly in a place with a pipette. Then, a single healthiest sperm is placed into the top of a thin glass needle before injecting it into the egg to achieve fertilization.
After the successful fertilization of the embryo, the embryologist cultures the embryo for three to five days. The experts monitor the embryo for the development of cell division until it reaches the blastocyst stage on the fifth day of fertilization.
The embryo is then cultured in a specialized nutrient solution in a controlled environment of the embryology laboratory, where a condition similar to the mother's womb is stimulated to support embryo growth. Then, the experts move to embryo grading and embryo transfer procedures.
The entire process can be summarized into the following points:
After the intracytoplasmic sperm injection procedure, the healthcare experts follow two more steps before the completion of ICSI IVF. They are as follows:
In this process, the experts place the embryo into the uterus during the induction-ovulation cycle. In this process, the doctors generally perform the embryo transfer within five to six days after the egg retrieval when the egg has reached the blastocyst stage.
This form of embryo transfer happens in a succeeding embryo transfer to avoid the side effects of hyperstimulation syndrome, endometrial hyperplasia, or edema. The embryo is then frozen until necessary. When necessary, the embryo is thawed to proceed with the transferring procedure in the next nearest ovulation cycle.
After the embryo is implanted into the uterus through ET or FET, the doctors schedule a pregnancy test. This is done around ten days after the embryo transfer procedure. Then, the obstetrician checks for pregnancy with a blood test to measure hormone levels and examine other conditions. Once the pregnancy is confirmed, the obstetrician proceeds with a follow-up appointment to check the mother's health. This includes tests through ultrasound scans to observe fetal development inside the womb periodically.
In this process, the good embryos are stored for later usage. These stored embryos are then used if the first cycle fails.
The ICSI treatment takes around thirty minutes to an hour to complete and is completed five to six hours after the egg retrieval. This allows the eggs to mature.
However, before the ICSI, a sperm is prepared, which takes around two to three hours. Once the sperm is injected, the eggs are taken into an incubator, which takes around sixteen to twenty hours for successful fertilization. It takes around three to five days from egg retrieval to embryo transfer since the embryos need to reach the blastocyst state before the transfer.
All in all, the ICSI process in itself takes around an hour. However, if we include the time before and after the process, it takes around five to six days from egg retrieval to embryo transfer.
In every medical procedure, there are some risks and benefits attached. Some of the key benefits and risks of ICSI treatment are as follows.
The specific intracytoplasmic sperm injection price depends on your circumstances. However, at Hardik IVF center, you can get intracytoplasmic sperm injection at the price range between Npr 3,50,000 to Npr 4,00,000.
Therefore, if you are looking for the best intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment in Nepal, look no further than Hardik IVF and Fertility Center! Book your appointment and fulfill your dream of parenthood now!