What is Microinjection (ICSI)?

Microinjection as an adjunct in in vitro fertilization treatments

New methods are being developed every day in IVF treatments. The aim is to provide every couple with the opportunity to have a baby. There are techniques within the microinjection technique that will increase the chance of success in IVF treatment. The aim is to increase the chance of success by bringing the target cells together and ensuring that they are fertilized in the most appropriate way. With the classical technique, the sperm left around the egg are left to fertilize on their own. Thus, a large number of sperm grains will be allowed to meet the egg cell. In IVF treatments with microinjection , a single high-quality, selected sperm is injected into the egg cell and the fertilization process is carried out. By placing a selected sperm into each egg cell, it allows men with very low sperm counts to have a chance at IVF treatment.

What are the advantages of the microinjection technique?

In cases of male-related infertility, meeting with a sperm cell may not be easy. Accessing a sperm sample with techniques such as TESE increases the need for these sperm grains and may even force one. Because in male infertility, it is extremely important to leave the sperm grains, which will be few in number, to be fertilized. In the microinjection technique, each sperm sample will be given the opportunity to fertilize the egg, which provides an advantage. Thanks to this mandatory meeting, failure due to fertilization in IVF treatments will decrease and the chance of success in the treatment will increase.

How is microinjection performed technically?

One of the sperm found in the semen or reached by TESE is selected to perform fertilization. Quality is very important here. The quality sperm is taken by means of a sensitive microscopic syringe and its tail is immobilized. In this way, it is placed directly into the egg cell. The egg cell must also be in the metaphase 2 process as the maturity stage.

Which types of patients require microinjection technique?

• In cases where sperm production is very low
• In cases of azoospermia, if sperms are reached with the TESE technique
• When couples who have previously had IVF failures and have fertilization problems want to have a baby
• It can be tried as an adjunctive treatment in patients who have not received any results and whose cause has not been explained.
• In patients who need PGD application

Will 100% fertilization occur?

Despite the forced meeting, guaranteed fertilization may not always occur. Because sperm quality is again an important factor. Here, the embryologist will pay attention to the quality of the sperm he will choose and will increase the chance of success in the treatment with his experience. (An experienced embryologist will always be an important reason for the increase in the success bar.)

Will there be a budget difference between classical IVF treatment and IVF treatment with microinjection?

Both techniques will require similar equipment. The budget is determined by the quality of the center, the experience of the team, the reliability of the materials and drugs. A similar price list will be created for both techniques and in this sense, there will be no budget differences.

At Liv Hospital IVF Center, we prefer the microinjection method at a very high rate. We create a higher number of embryos in parallel with the number of eggs obtained. As a result, having a large number of embryos allows us to choose from them, making it easier for us to reach embryos with high pregnancy potential.