For some people, particularly when sperm counts are very low or not high enough quality, this treatment offers a way to give the egg the best possible chance of fertilising.
It involves selecting a single healthy sperm and gently injecting it into the centre of the egg. The following day, our embryology team will check the eggs to see whether fertilisation has taken place.
If fertilisation is successful, the embryo(s) will be transferred to the womb in the usual way.
ICSI is considered very safe, but like all treatments it does carry a small risk. In around 10% of cases, the injection process can damage the egg, meaning it will not develop further. Your care team will discuss this with you and support you throughout your treatment.
Newer techniques
Many babies have been born following conception through this treatment, and current evidence shows no higher risk of irregular development compared with children conceived through IVF.
As ICSI is a relatively new technique, long term outcomes are still being monitored, and we will discuss any considerations with you during your clinic appointment. There is also a very small theoretical risk that male infertility could be passed on to a son, and we will talk this through in more detail if it applies to you.
For some men, we can sometimes surgically retrieve sperm if required, in a procedure carried out under local or general anaesthetic. Any sperm collected can then be used as part of the ICSI process to help achieve fertilisation.
If surgical sperm retrieval is recommended, we will explain the procedure fully and answer all your questions in the clinic.
