Why is Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) Done?

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is a type of assisted reproductive technology used to treat male infertility. ICSI is done when there is difficulty or inability of sperm to fertilize an egg, which can occur due to a variety of reasons such as low sperm count, poor sperm motility, abnormal sperm shape or size, or previous vasectomy.

During ICSI, a single sperm is injected directly into the cytoplasm of an egg using a tiny needle, bypassing the need for the sperm to penetrate the egg naturally. This allows fertilization to occur even when there are significant abnormalities in the sperm, increasing the chance of successful conception.

ICSI is often used in conjunction with in vitro fertilization (IVF), where eggs are retrieved from a woman’s ovaries and then fertilized outside the body. The resulting embryo is then transferred to the woman’s uterus in the hopes of achieving a successful pregnancy. ICSI can improve the success rates of IVF by ensuring that fertilization occurs even when male infertility is a factor.