There are times when the sperm is not able to penetrate the out layer due to various reasons. In such a scenario a procedure called Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection(ICSI) is done along with In Vitro Fertilization(IVF) to help fertilize the egg. During ICSI, a single sperm is injected directly into the cytoplasm of the egg.
How does ICSI treatment work?
The two ways in which an egg can be fertilized by IVF are traditional and ICSI. With either traditional IVF or ICSI, once fertilization occurs, the fertilized egg grows in a laboratory for 1 to 5 days before it is transferred to the woman’s uterus. This is the most effective and economical technique for successful treatment.
This procedure is beneficial for:
- Women whose tubes( fallopian tubes) are blocked
- There is a problem with the development of eggs
- For men facing the problem of low sperm or no sperm.
Why is ICSI needed?
ICSI helps to overcome a variety of fertility problems such as:
- The male partner produces few sperm to do artificial insemination or IVF.
- The sperm may have trouble attaching to the egg.
- A blockage in the male reproductive tract may keep sperm from getting out
- Eggs have not been fertilised by traditional IVF, regardless of the condition of the sperm
- In Vitro matured eggs are being used
- Previously frozen eggs are being used.
Does ICSI work?
ICSI fertilizes 50% to 80% of eggs, but the following problems may occur during or after the ICSI process:
- Some of the eggs may be damaged
- The egg might not grow into an embryo even after it is injected with sperm.
- The embryo may stop growing.
Once fertilization takes place, a couple’s chance of giving birth to a single baby, twin or triplet is the same if they have IVF or without ICSI.
Can ICSI affect baby’s development?
If a woman gets pregnant naturally, there is a 1.5% to 3% chance that the baby will have a major birth defect. The chance of birth defects associated with ICSI is similar to IVF but slightly higher than in natural conception.
The slightly higher risk of birth defects may actually be due to infertility and not the treatments used to overcome infertility.
Cost of ICSI treatment in Bangalore
The ICSI cost in Bangalore varies from Rs. 79,000 to Rs. 1,40,000 per cycle.

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