icsi-procedure

Everything You Need to Know About the ICSI Procedure for Infertility Treatment

leila Nazari article author
Dr. Ali Bazazi Medical approver
September 13, 2024 Update date
Regardless of how much or little you know about ICSI treatment for pregnancy, we reckon reading this information is a good step to start bringing knowledge to your family before starting your ICSI journey! Socially we know that infertility probably causes stigma, marital problems, societal pressure, and other problem for you, but now it’s time to utilize a key coping strategy! Have you ever thought seriously about traveling abroad as an extraordinary solution at the most affordable cost for your infertility issues? William F. Halsey says: "All problems become smaller when you confront them instead of dodging them.” And now, it’s the time of absolute trust in a well-skilled company in ART (assisted reproductive technology), particularly in ICSI, called TebMedTourism! Read this blog post on TebMedTourism to get useful information on the ICSI procedure for infertility treatment which has been offered for only $3,500 with our well-known company!

What is the procedure for ICSI treatment?

  For couples seeking complete answers to their questions like “What is the ICSI procedure?” or who are interested in figuring out the technical parts of ART (Assisted Reproductive Technology) treatments, this paragraph could be the most favorite part of our post: During ICSI, following steps will be implemented by the specialist:  
  • By utilizing a thin needle, the sperm will be picked up from the semen sample and immobilized in laboratory environment
  • To reach the cytoplasm, the needle will be inserted into the egg.
  • The prepared sperm will be injected into the cytoplasm.
  • The needle will be withdrawn from the egg.

How to do ICSI procedure? (step by step timeline)

Procedure of ICSI step by step for one ICSI cycle procedure is in following passage, so stay tuned to figure out each step of ICSI!  

Step one: Day 1

  Day 1 of a woman’s period marks the beginning of her ICSI cycle, as most ICSI cycle procedures often starts during this time. Some doctors suggest the ICSI cycle begins on day 2 or 3 of a woman's menstrual cycle rather than day 1. It may take a day or two to assess hormone levels and establish a treatment plan. However, the exact timing of the ICSI cycle will depend on the individual's specific circumstances and the recommendations of your fertility specialist.  

Step two: Injections and medications

  The second step begins on day 2 or day 3 of the start of menstruation. A baseline ultrasound, blood test and often testing for FSH (Follicle Stimulating Hormone) are the necessary evaluations. From Day 1, the stimulation phase of the IVF cycle has already started, but bear in mind that the ovaries typically only generate one egg in a natural cycle. To stimulate the follicles in the ovaries, in which the eggs develop, to produce more eggs during an IVF cycle, you will have to take certain medications for a duration of 8 to 14 days.   Injectable Medication for IVF. Injections are among the most commonly used medication for IVF, and depending on the cycle, you may have to administer one or two injections daily. Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) and Luteinizing Hormone (LH) are the hormones commonly seen in these injections. Is it possible to self-administer IVF injections? Initially, the concept of self-injection might seem scary. Still, your fertility specialist and medical team will guide you step-by-step and demonstrate where and how to administer the injections. You can even involve your partner or any other support person to observe and learn during the appointments.   Keeping an Eye on Your Ovaries at IVF Center. The fertility doctor and nursing staff will vigilantly monitor the growth of the follicles in your ovaries during your cycle with the help of blood tests and ultrasounds. Your medications may be altered if necessary. A transvaginal ultrasound may be conducted with a probe to observe the ovaries and growing follicles to accurately adjust the treatment throughout the stimulation phase. As the stimulation phase ends, doctors will frequently check on you to ensure the trigger injection is timely.   Trigger Shot. Are you anxious about being able to conceive despite weak ovulation or no ovulation at all? Don't worry! There is a trigger shot that offers a high success rate. Compared to hCG (human chronic gonadotropin), which functions similarly to luteinizing hormone (LH), now trigger shots are mostly Lupron. Trigger shots must be administered once for each IVF cycle before ovulation. These shots are injected either intramuscularly or subcutaneously. The self-administration method is generally employed, and most women opt to administer the shot under the skin on the abdomen. The trigger injection time is specified by your fertility specialist, as the timing is extremely critical since egg retrieval has to be done by the specialist before you ovulate.

 

Step three: Egg Retrieval on Day 12, 36 Hours after Trigger Shot

  Egg retrieval is also known as egg collecting or egg harvesting. In this day the fertility specialist extracts the eggs from the intended mother's ovaries. The specialist will utilize the most recent ultrasound equipment to insert a needle into each ovary. Precision is critical here, as removing the eggs from the fluid-filled follicles is sensitive. So the specialist has to be highly professional in her work. Generally, between 8 to 15 eggs are collected, though the patient's age and medical history also play an essential role. Suppose your AMH (anti-Mullerian hormone) test shows that you need ICSI with the egg donation procedure. In that case, the egg retrieval step will be performed on the donor instead of the intended mother. Our fertility specialists prioritize your time and suggest methods with the highest success rates for a positive and guaranteed experience.  

Step four: On Day 12, Sperm Collection.

  The husband should provide a sample of sperm on the day of egg retrieval. After semen collection, the sperm will be further examined in the laboratory to determine the viability and health of the sperm. This evaluation will be conducted through an examination of sperm morphology, count and motility. To accurately grade the sperm, experts will use their years of expertise to select the best quality sperm. Practically speaking, at least 10x10(6) spermatozoa/ml must be present, 30% of which should exhibit motility, 15% progressive motility, and 20% normal morphology.  

Step five: Fertilization via microinjection technique | when is ICSI done in IVF?

  Ultimately we get to the technical part, which a tiny needle will be utilized to inject a single sperm into the center of the egg to ensure fertilization. Microinjection technique is utilizing in fertilization step when ICSI is done in IVF! Classical IVF will require at least 50,000 swimming sperm. One sperm will be allowed to enter the egg's cytoplasm, thus initiating fertilization via IVF, or in other word the fertilization will occur naturally! A high-tech laboratory is required for performing microinjection in ICSI. The laboratory setup for ICSI involves specialized equipment such as a micromanipulator, a high-power microscope, and microinjection needles. Additionally, highly trained personnel are required to perform the procedure, as it requires a high level of skill and precision. So ICSI generally has higher success rates than IVF in cases where male infertility factor is present, but the overall success rates for both procedures depend on various factors.     Ultimately, after fertilization, 17 hours is optimal for an embryo to form and begin the development process. To ensure that the best embryo is formed, scientists will use specialized incubators to control the growth and development conditions also timelapse. By the fifth or sixth day, the embryo should comprise roughly 100 cells (the blastocyst stage). To successfully transfer the embryo, all embryos must be developed to the blastocyst stage. The prepared embryo will be transferred to the uterus of the intended mother.

ICSI procedure vs IVF

  ICSI full procedure is far from a simple undertaking, with deep emotional investment and immense stress on the patient. The cycle of ICSI/IVF increases a patient's blood estrogen levels, which may cause emotional irritation. Moreover, it is common for people going through ICSI to be easily moved to tears, often from something as insignificant as a radio advertisement. Due to the complexity of the IVF/ICSI cycle, patients should become aware of what to expect at every step of the ICSI procedure. Step-by-step ICSI full procedure guides a couple how an ICSI procedure will perform. It offers more clarity into the details of the ICSI process, empowering patients to collaborate and increase the procedure's success rate. In this blog post, you can see the technical difference between ICSI procedure vs IVF! Suppose the technical aspects of procedures are interesting to you. In that case, we should say that the essential difference between ICSI and IVF is that ICSI requires using specialist tools to directly inject sperm into the egg. In IVF, the sperm and egg combine naturally. Comparing ICSI procedure vs IVF could be summarized in one above sentence!

What will happen After ICSI procedure?

  People are interest in technical part of ART procedures often ask about after ICSI fertility treatment procedure! After an ICSI procedure, means after passing the step of injecting sperm to egg in high-tech laboratory by a professional embryologist, the fertilized egg is monitored in the laboratory for successful fertilization. Within five to six days, a healthy fertilized egg should form a blastocyst. The blastocyst's size and cell mass will be evaluated to determine the best time for embryo transfer. The transfer can occur five to six days after egg retrieval, or it can be delayed for a month or even years. The embryo is injected into the uterus using a catheter, and it needs to implant in the uterus for pregnancy to occur. A pregnancy test should be taken at least two weeks after the transfer.

How long does ICSI treatment take from start to finish?

  Do you want to accelerate fertility with ICSI/IVF or the other ART treatment? Many couples had long years of trying, failing, and being disappointed. They had always dreamt of having a family of their own, but their journey to parenthood is fraught with difficulty. The diagnosis of low sperm counts and abnormally shaped sperm had made it seem almost impossible for them to conceive naturally. But fortunately, there is a glimmer of hope in ICSI in Iran. Ultimately, when a couple decides to take the plunge and embark on the journey towards the procedure, from reading related posts like this blog post on TebMedTourism, could figure out good information about the answer to the question: "How long does the ICSI treatment take?". The first few weeks involve fertility drugs and constant checkups with their doctor. It is grueling, but the intended couple knows it will all worth it.   Then the day of sperm sampling comes. If he doesn’t have enough viable sperm, their doctor will suggest a biopsy to extract sperm which is called TESE or micro TESE. Though it seems scary initially, they are ready to take the leap of faith.   After a successful biopsy, the single sperm will be injected into the egg via an ICSI procedure. We know that it is a nail-biting week as a couple should be waiting for the embryo to develop, and finally, they could receive the news they are waiting for. The embryo will reach the ideal stage for implantation.   The transfer to the woman’s uterus is smooth, and they eagerly will wait for the next few weeks for any signs of success. Then the desired moment comes! The doctor confirms the parents dream come true by a successful pregnancy! It will take four to five weeks of treatment, but the intended couple will finally achieve their dream of becoming parents. By trusting TebMedTourism as a well-known and professional company in infertility treatments, the ICSI treatment process takes 21 days from start to finish to achieve the gift of life and turn into future parents that are grateful for it every single day!

Any side effects of ICSI procedure

  The complications that could arise by ICSI treatment for infertility (in technical part) are:  
  •  Damage to some or all eggs during needle penetration for ICSI
  • Not proper fertilization of the eggs after sperm injection
  • Lack of proper embryo development in the lab
  Also, there are common side effects in ICSI/ IVF procedure that could be summarized as following items:  
  • Bleeding, bruising or infection at the injection site
  • Ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome (OHSS)
  • Multiple pregnancies (due to transferring more than one embryo)

Is the ICSI procedure painful?

  ICSI procedure could be slightly painful in some steps, and instead of running from the pain, you could ask how we can avoid this? To avoid these slight pain, your specialist will offer some solutions, and by switching out from old habits like avoiding smoking, alcohol, and some foods that could cause the failure of your ICSI procedure or could increase the pain, you can turn off alerts which help you experience this slight pain after each step. But fortunately, alongside healthy lifestyle habits, there are some solutions during the ICSI procedure:  

Slight pain in injection step

  Fertility medications will be administered as an injection in the lower abdomen (as a shot). Most patients experience some discomfort in this step of the ICSI process.
  • Pain relievers such as acetaminophen as directed by your doctor.
  • To help reduce pain and swelling, apply a warm compress to the injection site
  • Engage in gentle exercise or stretching to help relieve muscle tension and improve blood flow.
  • Deep breathing as a practice relaxation technique helps reduce stress and tension.
 

Super solution for egg retrieval

  Anesthesia is the medical solution in which patients do not feel pain during the egg retrieval procedure. Only some abdominal cramping (typical period-like cramps) and some bloating in the first and second days after egg collecting has been reported by most patients, which are common among women who have experienced IVF/ICSI treatments. Following these instructions will minimize discomfort after egg retrieval:
  1. Wear comfortable and easy-to-remove clothes as the first priority.
  2. Avoid foods producing gas.
  3. Don’t forget to drink water and electrolytes.
  4. Use a heating pack and Tylenol.
  5. Take it easy, and don’t forget to nap.
 

No pain in ET

  In the embryo transfer step, most patients report only mild discomfort, and no sign of pain exists! Overall, avoiding consuming food that could create inflammation should be your first priority. According to research, anti-inflammatory food could increase the ICSI success rate. So run away from the following five types of foods that bring inflammation:
  • Processed meats and red meat
  • White bread and rice, pasta, and breakfast cereals (Refined grains)
  • Chips, cookies, crackers, and pastries (Snack foods)
  • Sodas and other sweetened drinks
  • Fried foods

Conclusion

  Step-by-step ICSI documentation is a valuable tool that empowers patients to collaborate with their fertility doctor and achieve high success. These guides provide clear, detailed instructions that make it easier for patients to perform related tasks during ICSI procedure, reducing failure in ICSI/IVF cycles and boosting productivity and healthy pregnancy at the end.   However, traveling abroad for an ICSI procedure can be challenging. Despite this, there are tempting options such as affordable ICSI costs that may encourage couples to consider this approach. Working with an expert company like Tebmedtourism, which has a reputation for accuracy and professionalism specially in infertility treatments and ART methods, can be an effective strategy for navigating this process. click now to connect

FAQ

 

What are IVF with ICSI procedure steps?

Step by step IVF with ICSI by TebMedTourism
  1. Pre-Operative Procedures
  • Sending the profiles of screened egg donors to intended parents (around 1 month prior to travelling date).
  • Choosing a donor according to intended parents’ desired features (general appearance, height, weight, age, educational level, skin type, eye color, etc.)
For women (both the egg donor and the recipient):
  • General, viral & hormonal lab test
  • Uterine & ovaries ultrasound by radiologist
For men:
  • Viral lab tests (hepatitis B & C, HIV, VDRL)
  • Sperm Analysis
  1. Menstruation Cycle of the Egg Donor:
Day 1:
  • Doctor’s visit
  • Ultrasound in clinic by a fertility specialist
  • Determining the treatment plan
  • Prescribing the drugs (dosage may vary depending on age, weight, & height of the donor)
  Day 2:
  • Start taking medication & continue until the day 8
  Day 8: 
  • Ovaries ultrasound at clinic to check the size of follicles.
  • Adjusting the dosage of medications
  Day 11:
  • A clinical ultrasound for final checks
  • Determining the exact day of egg retrieval
  Day 14 to 16 (depending on ovaries response to drugs):
  • Egg retrieval
  • Sperm collection from the intended father
  • IVF/ ICSI
  • Microinjection method via ICSI procedure (injecting sperm in to egg under a high-tech microscope)
  Day 14-17 (depending on the egg retrieval day)
  • Embryo growth in lab environment
  Day 17
  • Embryo evaluation
  • PGD/PGS on the third day of embryo growth (in case of need)
  Day 17-18
  • Embryo transfer to the intended mother’s uterus
  Day 31-32
  • pregnancy test and repeat it after two days
  Note 1: For egg donation process, couples should stay in Iran for 2 weeks to do the necessary tests and use the needed medications. However, TebMedTourism team can shorten the duration of your stay to 1 week so that under the supervision of our doctors, you could start your medication in your home country and come to Iran for sperm collection, uterus final evaluations, and embryo transfer. Note 2: we recommend you to fully rest after the embryo transfer for at least 1-2 days before going back to your country.  

Is ICSI procedure painful?

ICSI procedure could be slightly painful in some steps, and instead of running from the pain, you could ask how we can avoid this? To avoid these slight pain, your specialist will offer some solutions, and by switching out from old habits like avoiding smoking, alcohol, and some foods that could cause the failure of your ICSI procedure or could increase the pain, you can turn off alerts which help you experience this slight pain after each step. To reduce ICSI pain in the injection step, follow these items:
  • Pain relievers such as acetaminophen as directed by your doctor.
  • To help reduce pain and swelling, apply a warm compress to the injection site
  • Engage in gentle exercise or stretching to help relieve muscle tension and improve blood flow.
  • Deep breathing as a practice relaxation technique helps reduce stress and tension.
2024-09-13
ICSI procedure
Fertility procedures

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