Antecedent to the introduction of ICSI, fertility treatment depended on medication to increase fertility, surgical procedures and assisted conception methods; such as intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).
Fertility drugs are administered to influence ovulation in women and testosterone production in men. Consumers would be familiar with the name clomiphene citrate under the brand name of Clomid, and gonadotropins such as HCG, FSH and HMG. Fertility drugs are only suggested to men, when specific hormonal imbalances are distinguished. Those who desire to experience surgical procedure may familiarise themselves with terms like ovarian wedge resection, laparoscopy, percutaneous sperm aspiration (PESA) and testicular sperm aspiration (TESA). Surgical procedures should not be taken lightly whereby a prior biopsy will be performed.
IUI falls under the category of artificial insemination (AI); it is less expensive and poses fewer contingencies for multiple births. IUI is implemented when the woman's cervical mucus is insensitive, donor sperm is necessary and when unexplained infertility exists in both parents. IVF is generally insemination outside the body, before the embryo is introduced back into the woman's body for implantation. Rare cases would require gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) to be attempted.
ICSI has proven to increase pregnancy rates similar if not higher than performing IVF. ICSI owes its increased success due to the fact that ICSI processes are independent of semen density, motility and morphology. Semen quality and the methods used to obtain the sperm, did not affect fertilization rates as well. (Cornell University, 2010) Paying attention to the relatively brief history of ICSI and the dangers involved it would seem sagacious to limit the use of this new technology so that is not used unreasonably.
ICSI is proven suitable for male fertility problems because in most cases the women who supply the eggs come from a younger age group. The quantity and quality of the eggs are of a considerable standard; enabling fertilization to occur more likely. Men with severe infertility issues regarding unhealthy sperms, having experienced prior failures in an IVF cycle and do not wish for donor sperms are advised to take ICSI into consideration. With ICSI, the sperms from the male do not need to travel and penetrate the outer zona pellucida of the egg. This allows men whose sperms cannot move properly to fertilise the egg. Missing sperms in semen would indicate a blockage in reproductive organs. This is not an issue with ICSI whereby even men who have undergone vasectomy would be able to father a child.
While ICSI is mainly recommended for male infertility problems, some infertility physicians have recommended women who have failed prior IVF attempts and suffering from poor quality eggs to have a go at ICSI (University of Maryland Medical Centre, 2011). As the implementation of ICSI deepens, research on its potential side effects should be carried out concurrently. This would ensure the public is well notified on the risks of the treatment before attempting to have one performed.
Fertility drugs are administered to influence ovulation in women and testosterone production in men. Consumers would be familiar with the name clomiphene citrate under the brand name of Clomid, and gonadotropins such as HCG, FSH and HMG. Fertility drugs are only suggested to men, when specific hormonal imbalances are distinguished. Those who desire to experience surgical procedure may familiarise themselves with terms like ovarian wedge resection, laparoscopy, percutaneous sperm aspiration (PESA) and testicular sperm aspiration (TESA). Surgical procedures should not be taken lightly whereby a prior biopsy will be performed.
IUI falls under the category of artificial insemination (AI); it is less expensive and poses fewer contingencies for multiple births. IUI is implemented when the woman's cervical mucus is insensitive, donor sperm is necessary and when unexplained infertility exists in both parents. IVF is generally insemination outside the body, before the embryo is introduced back into the woman's body for implantation. Rare cases would require gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT) and zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) to be attempted.
ICSI has proven to increase pregnancy rates similar if not higher than performing IVF. ICSI owes its increased success due to the fact that ICSI processes are independent of semen density, motility and morphology. Semen quality and the methods used to obtain the sperm, did not affect fertilization rates as well. (Cornell University, 2010) Paying attention to the relatively brief history of ICSI and the dangers involved it would seem sagacious to limit the use of this new technology so that is not used unreasonably.
ICSI is proven suitable for male fertility problems because in most cases the women who supply the eggs come from a younger age group. The quantity and quality of the eggs are of a considerable standard; enabling fertilization to occur more likely. Men with severe infertility issues regarding unhealthy sperms, having experienced prior failures in an IVF cycle and do not wish for donor sperms are advised to take ICSI into consideration. With ICSI, the sperms from the male do not need to travel and penetrate the outer zona pellucida of the egg. This allows men whose sperms cannot move properly to fertilise the egg. Missing sperms in semen would indicate a blockage in reproductive organs. This is not an issue with ICSI whereby even men who have undergone vasectomy would be able to father a child.
While ICSI is mainly recommended for male infertility problems, some infertility physicians have recommended women who have failed prior IVF attempts and suffering from poor quality eggs to have a go at ICSI (University of Maryland Medical Centre, 2011). As the implementation of ICSI deepens, research on its potential side effects should be carried out concurrently. This would ensure the public is well notified on the risks of the treatment before attempting to have one performed.
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Find out more about how ICSI works and find more how treatment of male fertility by ICSI.. Free reprint available from: Expectations for Pre and Post Treatment.