In order for fertilization to occur, sperm should penetrate the egg. Sometimes the sperm cannot penetrate the outer layer. A procedure called Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) can help fertilize the egg by injecting the sperm directly into the egg.
In traditional IVF, the sperm are mixed with the woman’s egg in a laboratory. If ICSI is needed, a small needle is used to inject a sperm into the center of the egg. The fertilized egg grows in a laboratory for one to five days, then it is placed in the woman’s uterus (womb).
ICSI helps to overcome a man’s fertility problems, for instance:
- He may produce too few sperm (Condition called Oligozoospermia)
- His sperm may be not be shaped correctly or move in a normal fashion (Teratozoospermia)
- The sperm may have trouble attaching to the egg
- A blockage in his reproductive tract may keep sperm from getting out (Vasectomy or Obstructive Azoospermia etc.,)
ICSI can also be used when the use of traditional IVF has not produced fertilization, regardless of the condition of the sperm.