Whether you’re just starting to explore IVF treatment or have been researching it for a while, you might know that there are additional treatments available to boost its effectiveness. These supplementary treatments can provide a better chance for individuals who find that IVF alone isn’t sufficient to achieve pregnancy, helping them to start or grow their families.
If you’ve faced a failed IVF attempt or know that you have fertility issues like low sperm motility, don’t worry. While this can be stressful at first, there’s a treatment that could greatly benefit you: ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection). Keep reading to learn more about this method and how it might help you.
### Understanding IVF and ICSI
Classic IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) involves preparing and retrieving a woman’s eggs from her ovaries, then fertilizing them in a lab. This fertilization can involve sperm from either her partner or a screened sperm donor. Once an embryo is formed, it’s placed back into the woman’s womb to develop naturally.
ICSI is a technique used alongside IVF to improve the likelihood of fertilization. While the overall IVF process remains the same, ICSI takes a more direct approach during fertilization. Instead of mixing eggs and sperm and letting them combine naturally, ICSI involves selecting a single sperm and injecting it directly into the egg. This method is especially useful for couples dealing with sperm quality or quantity issues, such as poor motility, or when a previous IVF cycle has failed to result in fertilization.
### Next Steps to Take
If you’re struggling with infertility, finding it hard to conceive, or have experienced a failed IVF attempt, the best course of action is to consult with your fertility specialist. They, along with a counselor, can guide you on the next steps of your fertility journey. Your consultant might suggest ICSI if it’s deemed appropriate for your situation.
However, if ICSI isn’t the right fit, there are other treatments available that could help you, such as IMSI (Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection) paired with IVF. The key is to remain hopeful and schedule an appointment with a reputable fertility clinic to explore your options.