ICSI (ICSI) - intracytoplasmic sperm injection (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection). Method of ART, in which the sperm with an ultrathin needle is introduced directly into the cytoplasm of the egg, thereby increasing the likelihood of its fertilization. The standard IVF procedure implies the need to use several sperm cells, for the implementation of the ICSI method, one spermatozoon is sufficient.

When performing IVF according to the ICSI method, there is no strongly pronounced relationship between the quality of the selected spermatozoa and the probability of becoming pregnant, and this fact makes ICSI one of the most effective and modern methods of fertilization. Also an important advantage of this technique is the possibility of fertilizing an egg in the heavy phases of male infertility.

Indications for IVF using ICSI

• infertility in women due to obstruction of the fallopian tubes;
• low ovarian reserve in women;
• absence of sperm cells in seminal fluid (azoospermia);
• violation of the structure of sperm;
• the content of full sperm in the ejaculate is less than 13% (teratozoospermia);
• low sperm content in seminal fluid (oligozoospermia);
• effects of vasectomy;
• congenital absence of vas deferens;
• decrease in the quality of seminal fluid after its cryopreservation;
• a history of unsuccessful conception attempts through in vitro fertilization;
• the presence of antisperm antibodies in seminal fluid.

Using the ICSI method up to 80% increases the likelihood of fertilization of an egg, with full-fledged pregnancy in this case occurs in 40-60% of women. The likelihood of a positive outcome depends on the quality of the male and female germ cells used.

Other factors affecting the quality of this procedure include:

• experience and competence of medical professionals performing the procedure;
• age women and men;
• presence of concomitant pathologies of organs and systems;
• state of the egg;
• severity of infertility from both the man and the woman.

In vitro fertilization with ICSI method guarantees pregnancy with a probability of up to 60%. However, despite the fact that the ICSI procedure is highly effective, it does not exclude the risk of a child inheriting the genetic diseases that parents may suffer. To exclude such a risk, it is necessary to carry out special diagnostics before implanting the finished embryo into the uterus of a woman.