Description:
Fertility treatments such as In-vitro Fertilization (IVF) and Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) are advanced techniques used to assist couples with fertility issues. IVF involves fertilizing an egg with sperm outside the body in a laboratory, while ICSI is a specialized form of IVF where a single sperm is directly injected into an egg. Both procedures help overcome barriers to natural conception.
Indications:
- Female Infertility: Blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis, or other conditions that make natural fertilization difficult.
- Male Infertility: Low sperm count, poor sperm motility, or abnormal sperm morphology.
- Unexplained Infertility: When no cause for infertility is found despite thorough examinations.
- Genetic Reasons: Preventing the transmission of genetic disorders through preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).
Procedure:
- IVF: The ovaries are hormonally stimulated to produce multiple eggs, which are then retrieved and fertilized with sperm in the laboratory. The developed embryos are transferred to the uterus.
- ICSI: A single egg is retrieved, and a sperm is directly injected into the egg. The resulting embryos are transferred to the uterus, similar to IVF.
Benefits:
- Higher Success Rates: IVF and ICSI offer many couples the opportunity to achieve pregnancy when other methods have failed.
- Versatile Applications: These techniques can be applied to various causes of infertility.
- Control Over Fertilization: Both procedures allow for the selection of the best eggs and sperm, increasing the chances of successful fertilization.
- Genetic Screening: Embryos can be genetically tested before transfer, reducing the risk of genetic disorders.