ICSI is one of the most commonly known treatments after IVF (in-vitro fertilisation). It is a sophisticated form of IVF that overcomes any issues that prevent the sperm from fertilising the egg naturally.
ICSI is done in the Embryology Laboratory and involves injecting Sperm into Eggs using high magnification. The needle used is more than 10 times as this as a human hair, click here to see a Video of the ICSI procedure.
Once you have chosen to have ICSI treatment you will be given follicle stimulating drugs which will increase the production of eggs within the body, maximising the number of eggs available for fertilisation. Scans will reveal the optimum time for these eggs to be collected and you will be asked to attend the clinic on a specific day for these eggs to be collected under sedation. The process for you would be the same as with standard IVF.
The difference between IVF and ICSI is that with IVF eggs and sperm are mixed together in a test tube or petri dish, whilst with ICSI sperm are injected into eggs. With ICSI one sperm is injected into each egg collected.
A sperm sample is obtained on the day of egg collection or where applicable in advance under sedation using surgical techniques such as PESA or TESE otherwise known as Surgical Sperm Retrieval – SSR.
Our expert team of Andrologists and embryologists select the best single sperm to inject directly into the egg, from this point of fertilisation an embryo then develops.
ICSI can be very effective in treating:
PICSI is a technique for selecting sperm to improve sperm selection for conventional ICSI.
The technique can offer good results especially where there are issues with the quality of the sperm.
The key success indicator in ICSI is the selection of a good quality sperm but ICSI alone is not able to identify a sperm with good DNA quality.
PICSI selects sperm that are reportedly more mature, with better DNA quality. Good sperm DNA quality is essential for generating a viable pregnancy, with evidence suggesting poor DNA quality can affect success rates.
The use of PICSI may reduce the chance of miscarriage for a select group of patients, namely those with a history of miscarriage or advanced maternal age and is available as an addition to the ICSI procedure in a cycle of IVF treatment. Your managing clinician will discuss whether the use of PICSI is something which should be considered for your treatment.
The Charge for PICSI is £250 in addition to the ICSI procedure charge of £1260.
Operating from our new state of the art centre at Aztec West , our clinic is home to some of the most modern, cutting edge technology and lab facilities in the UK. We have an experienced and dedicated team of embryologists committed to ensuring the best success rates and highest quality of care. Our purpose-built IVF facility has helped thousands of couples to conceive and create families.
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Your initial consultation at BCRM is the first step in your journey towards a successful outcome.
Our team of friendly, highly-skilled specialists are dedicated to providing the highest standard of patient care. We understand the emotional stress that reproductive issues can cause and we are committed to making your journey to fertility as smooth as possible.