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Intra-Cytoplasmic
Sperm Injection (hereinafter referred to as "ICSI")
is a microscopic procedure that involves the injection of a
single sperm into a woman's egg. ICSI may increase the rate
of fertilization for some couples undergoing In-Vitro Fertilization.
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Couples may benefit from ICSI in the following situation |
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The male's sperm count is very low, the sperm have low or poor
motility (percent moving or quality of movement) or there are
sperm defects. |
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Women whose eggs have a thicker than normal or hardened Zona Pellucida
(the outermost membrane that surrounds the egg) making the egg
more difficult for sperm to penetrate. |
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Couples
suffering from prior fertilization failure or other fertilization
defects. |
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As a precaution against unexpected fertilization failure. |
When
eggs are retrieved from a woman's ovaries, both fully mature and
immature eggs are usually obtained. It is not possible to determine
in advance, what proportion of these eggs will be mature. The maturity
of an egg can only be determined following its retrieval. Only mature
eggs can be fertilized using the technique of ICSI. In addition,
even when ICSI is used, this does not guarantee successful fertilization
of some or all the mature eggs obtained.
ICSI
may infrequently result in damage to the egg leading to its degeneration
and failure to develop.
There
is no evidence to indicate the ICSI procedure itself, results in
any increase in congenital, physical or genetic abnormalities in
children born following its use, in excess of the normal and expected
age-matched incidence in children born of naturally conceived pregnancies.
However, if there is an underlying genetic reason for a male's low
sperm count, low motility or sperm defects, this trait may be inherited
by any children conceived from that sperm. Under these circumstances,
the transmission of the sperm defect is caused by an abnormality
inherent in the sperm itself, and not by the use of ICSI to facilitate
fertilization.
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