• Male Factor Infertility: ICSI is commonly used when there are issues with sperm quantity, quality, or motility, such as low sperm count, poor sperm motility, or abnormal sperm morphology.
• Previous IVF Failure: If traditional IVF attempts have not resulted in successful fertilization, ICSI may be recommended.

2. Procedure Steps:

• Ovulation Stimulation: The woman undergoes ovarian stimulation to produce multiple eggs.
• Egg Retrieval: Eggs are retrieved from the ovaries through a minor surgical procedure known as follicular aspiration.
• Sperm Collection: A sperm sample is collected, and high-quality sperm are selected for injection.
• Microinjection: Using a microneedle, a single sperm is injected directly into the cytoplasm of each mature egg.
• Fertilization: After injection, the eggs are monitored for signs of fertilization.
• Embryo Culture: Fertilized eggs (embryos) are cultured in the laboratory for a few days.
• Embryo Transfer: One or more healthy embryos are selected and transferred to the woman’s uterus.

3. Sperm Selection and Preparation:

• Prior to injection, the sperm undergoes special preparation to enhance its ability to fertilize the egg.
• A single sperm with good morphology and motility is selected for each egg.

4. Advantages of ICSI:

• Male Infertility: ICSI is particularly beneficial when male factor infertility is a primary concern, allowing couples with severe male fertility issues to achieve pregnancy.
• Increased Fertilization Rates: By directly injecting a sperm into the egg, fertilization rates can be improved, especially in cases of compromised sperm quality.

5. Risks and Considerations:

• Genetic Concerns: There is a slight increase in the risk of passing on genetic abnormalities to offspring, primarily related to the genetic health of the sperm selected for injection.
• Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS): Ovarian stimulation medications may lead to a rare but serious condition called OHSS.

6. Success Rates:

• ICSI has high success rates, especially in cases where male infertility is a primary factor.

7. ICSI vs. Traditional IVF:

• In traditional IVF, sperm and eggs are combined in a dish, allowing fertilization to occur naturally.
• ICSI is a more targeted approach, directly injecting a single sperm into an egg, bypassing certain barriers that may impede natural fertilization.

8. Cost Considerations:

• ICSI is often more expensive than traditional IVF due to the additional laboratory techniques involved.