While IVF and ICSI might seem like similar procedures, there are several intricacies that make them different. IVF or In Vitro Fertilization is the cycle where the eggs and sperms are put in a laboratory dish to fertilize without any external force. On the other hand, for ICSI or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection, a particular sperm is directly injected into the egg.
An ICSI treatment is suitable for any couple where the woman might have had blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, ovulation disorders, endometriosis or adenomyosis or severe pelvic adhesion. It is also suitable for people with a genetic disorder, men with infertility issues like decreased sperm count or sperm motility or any other unexplained infertility issue.
With the ICSI treatment, one can overcome several problems like fertilization by multiple sperm and the inability of the sperm to penetrate the eggs and fertilize them. However, if one has prominent issues with their sperm, like high sperm DNA fragmentation, a history of previous fertilization failure, poor embryo quality, then IMSI or Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection might be a better option.
The IMSI technology uses a high-powered microscope to select a sperm with the best morphology and the lowest fragmentation, so it can easily fertilize the eggs.
The Process of an ICSI Treatment
The doctor will collect all the eggs of superior quality after the mother undergoes ovarian stimulation for around 9-14 days. These eggs will then be transferred to a temperature-controlled incubator that will also control the humidity and the amounts of various gases that are ideal for the growth of the egg. Once the eggs are allowed to mature for the precise duration of time, an embryologist will mix the mature eggs with the healthy sperm, and the status of fertilization will be determined in 16-18 hours.
Also, Read: Success Rate of ICSI
How Much Does the ICSI Treatment Cost?
The ICSI treatment can cost anywhere from ₹ 70,000 to ₹ 3,00,000 on an average. However, this does not include the costs for use of donor sperm, donor egg, donor embryo, FET or Frozen Embryo Transfer. You might also have to incur additional costs for the laser assisted hatching of the embryo for boosting implantation, Blastocyst Culture and Transfer, Hysteroscopy, Laparoscopy or Testicular Sperm Retrieval. Each of these procedures can cost you ₹18,000 to ₹80,000. In India, the costs of an ICSI treatment cycle are fraction of the costs for the treatment incurred in other countries.
Apollo Fertility clinics are present throughout the country, with ICSI center in Chennai, Delhi, Amritsar and most major cities of India. Once you educate yourself about the advantages and setbacks of ICSI treatments, it can prove to be the apt treatment for you and your partner. You can also consult your doctor to be sure of the procedure before you commit to it.
Also, Read: Things You Need to Know About ICSI
