All You Should Know About ICSI & IVF

Planning about your new member of the family, but not able to conceive?

Getting much popular, ICSI, which stands for Intracytoplasmic sperm injection has high success rates all over the globe. It is used in nearly half of the IVF treatments done worldwide tend to solve the male infertility issues and improves the chances of conception. However, ICSI Infertility treatment in India has been newly introduced concept gaining much popularity nowadays among couples struggling to conceive. 

This procedure involves the use of only one sperm from the male body which is injected directly into the ovum/egg. Here, the preference is given to find the best sperm so that it can successfully fertilize the egg. Following this, the fertilized egg or the embryo is transferred into the uterus with a technique called ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology). Earlier most fertility treatments revolved around female-factor infertility. In cases which involve difficulty in conceiving due to male-factor infertility, options were quite limited. 

ICSI & IVF: A process within a process

With the advancement in the technology and the latest research in medical science have widened the horizons to address many different causes of infertility in both partners ICSI is one such example. ICSI is often used in conjunction with In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) to treat sperm-related infertility problems. It has a highly targeted approach and is used where other methods have failed. 

ICSI process is a part of the IVF process where the female partner will go through an IVF cycle of ovary stimulation, taking carefully timed fertility medications to produce and mature a number of eggs. Following this, the sperm is collected from the male partner. However, in other cases where there is an absence of sperm due to blockage or other physiological issues, the BLK best doctor can extract sperm under a local anaesthetic. 

3 ways of extracting the sperm from a male body;

1.       From the epididymis

A small tube behind the testis. This procedure is known as microsurgical epididymal sperm aspiration or MESA.

2.       From the testicle

This procedure is known as testicular sperm aspiration or TESA.

3.       Testicular tissue biopsy

Here, the doctor may use a needle to perform the biopsy or make a small incision, referred to as a surgical biopsy. 

When to see a doctor?

It is often advised to opt for ICSI treatment after proper consultation and recommendation from a doctor or medical professionals.

6 situations that might call for an ICSI treatment;

1. Men with a very low sperm count.
2. Men with Retrograde Sperm Ejaculation issues
3. Men with Azoospermia (zero sperm in ejaculation) 
4. Men with problems in erection and ejaculation due to various health issues.
5. After an IVF history with no or low rate of fertilization. 
6. Women with a low yield of eggs during egg retrieval.

Are you the right candidate?

There are some types of female factor infertility (such as low egg quality), the problem might not be which might not be cured by this procedure. In most of the cases, it is successful, but there are also some potential risks involved in the procedure that the patient needs to be aware of. The takes about four weeks to six weeks for one cycle of ICSI to complete. So, might need to spend half-days at the clinic for both sperms as well as egg retrieval process. It is often advised to the women who ages under 40 years to opt for at least three cycles of IVF either with or without ICSI process. For the women who crossed 40’s and never had IVF procedure done before then, you will be offered one full IVF cycle after the discussion of the risks and implications involved during pregnancy at this age.

What after the ICSI treatment?

The success of any treatment depends on how accurately the patient is following the advice of the doctor and taking the preventive measures. 

• Maintain your routine 

A proper care routine including a regular blood test and frequent monitoring is required after a session of ICSI also one has to be in a regular touch with the doctor. 

• Avoid lifting heavy weight

Women who goes through the procedure of ICSI are often advised to stay away from physically and mentally draining activities for at least a week or so as considered by your doctor.

• Avoid Intercourse

Avoiding sexual intercourse with your partner is very important as this helps in preventing vaginal infection and also helps in healing the woman’s ovaries after her eggs have been harvested.

• Say no to strenuous Exercise

Women are restricted to perform heavy exercise or aerobics after the IVF procedure. Light exercise is often preferred such as walking rather than running.

•   Avoid Baths

Most fertility doctors advise women to not take baths during the two-week wait as a bath may introduce a foreign substance into the vagina, which increases the risk of infection that may lead to miscarriage. Women are also advised to avoid douching. Patients are encouraged to take showers instead.

Keeping above concerns in your mind, it becomes imperative to get the best treatment and guidance of specialized doctors from the best hospital of Delhi as the city offers some good option for you.