ICSI Treatment
At times, ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) is recommended as part of IVF treatment. This is a laboratory technique to fertilise the eggs. Instead of the traditional IVF fertilisation method, each mature egg collected is injected with a single sperm to overcome issues with sperm quality. All the other treatment steps are the same as IVF.
At Waterstone Clinic, we focus on laboratory excellence and evidence-based practice to maximise your chance of having a baby.
When is ICSI Recommended?
ICSI can be carried out when semen quality is poor or when using sperm that has been surgically retrieved.
ICSI may be recommended if you have:
- Low sperm count (oligozoospermia)
- Low sperm motility (asthenozoospermia)
- Low numbers of normal morphology (teratozoospermia)
These factors can occur in isolation or can appear in combination with each other.
The ICSI Process
Step by Step
Ovarian Stimulation: The main goal of the stimulation phase is to help the ovaries grow and develop eggs in the follicles. You will take hormone injections for 8-14 days to stimulate the follicles, and the progress will be monitored with ultrasound scans.
Egg Collection Procedure: When the follicles reach the right size, it will be time to collect the eggs from the ovaries. This procedure takes place under light sedation.
Embryo Development: The eggs are fertilised in the laboratory with sperm (from your partner or a donor) with the ICSI procedure. In the days following, the embryologists carefully monitor the development of the embryos.
Embryo Transfer: The embryo transfer is a simple and quick procedure to place the embryo into the uterus. Two weeks later, you can take a pregnancy test.
Our Success Rates are Exemplary
In the right hands, IVF/ICSI is the most successful fertility treatment available. The most influential factors for success are the laboratory’s track record, the female’s age, and the experience of the clinical team delivering the care.
At Waterstone Clinic, we deliver exemplary success rates. For example, a 34-year-old who has a blastocyst transfer with us has a 64% chance of having a baby.
The treatment package is all-inclusive:
- Consultant-led Management Plan
- Planning & Coordination of Cycle
- Fertility Nurse Planning Meeting
- Prescription Issue
- Monitoring Ultrasound Scans
- Egg Collection Procedure
- IV Sedation
- ICSI Laboratory Procedures incl. Blastocyst Culturing
- Embryoscope+ Timelapse Monitoring
- Embryo Transfer Procedure
- Fertility Counselling
- Pregnancy Test
- Early Pregnancy Scans
- Post-Treatment Consultation, as required