Fertilisation is generally attempted using two different methods:

Insemination

Under insemination, Healthy male semen and matured female eggs are combined and incubated overnight.

Intracytoplasmic semen injection (ICSI)

Under severe male infertility Intracytoplasmic Semen Injection is used. ICSI is very similar to conventional IVF where in the female eggs and male sperms are collected from each partner. The difference between the two procedures is the method of achieving fertilisation.

ICSI refers to a clinical method where a single sperm is picked and injected into the female eggs and fertilised overnight in a specialized dish. This method is carried out under the supervision of experienced embryologists using latest technology. It is a ray of hope for couples with various factors preventing fertilisation.

What does ICSI involve?

The Following steps take place under ICSI:

• Fertility medications are generally prescribed to increase count of ovaries and to promote development and maturation of female eggs.
• The eggs are then removed from the patient’s ovaries and placed in a separate dish.
• If partner’s semen does not contain enough motile semen, it can be extracted from the testicles using a needle.
• The eggs are fertilised by injecting single semen into each egg. The following day, embryologists check if the fertilization was successful.
• The fertilised eggs become embryos in a few days.
• The embryos are then transferred into the uterus.