F.A.Q.
INTRA CYTOPLASMATIC SPERM INJECTION
ICSI is a new achievement to overcome male infertility. This method helps males with oligo-, asteno-, terato-, and also azoospermia by giving an opportunity to have their own offspring. This technique assures direct microinjection of a single sperm into a single egg (ooplasma) in order to achieve fertilization.
The first pregnancy using this procedure was reported in 1993 in Belgium (Van Stertenghem). Nowadays it is widely used around the world. Unlike the extracorporeal fertilization, ICSI needs only one sperm and the quality of a genetic parent’s sperm is not vital. The selection of that one sperm is very hard and responsible work. It is being done based on Kruger strict morphology. However, this is an empirical approach, since the activeness of the sperm defines its productivity; nevertheless the deviation from normal morphology is not a direct reflection of chromosomical deviation.
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION
Insemination is a process by which sperm is placed into the reproductive tract of a female for the purpose of impregnating the female. During artificial insemination treatment, the woman’s menstrual cycle is closely monitored using ovarian kits, ultrasounds, and blood tests. Intrauterine insemination is very common these days, and during this procedure the sperm are released into the uterus. Artificial insemination is done using male partner’s (spouse) or donor’s sperm.
Indications for AI
- genital disorders
- cervical factor infertility
- decreased sperm concentration
- those with an unknown etiology can also be categorized as a normal infertile couple (NIC), indicating that all findings from standard tests used to evaluate the patients are normal.
- when extracorporeal fertilization is too soon to use or too expensive
With the exemption of the first indicator, presumably the couples have passed all necessary tests.
A baby born using AI method is a genetic creation of biological parents. If the insemination is completed using donor sperm, the baby partially gets donor’s genetics. Insemination is done prior to extracorporeal fertilization. If for some reason the procedure is unsuccessful other methods of artificial insemination can be used. Artificial insemination has no harm for mother’s health.
EXTRACORPOREAL FERTILIZATION (IVF)
Extracorporeal fertilization was first successfully performed using not stimulated ovaries in 1978. Later on and nowadays the procedure is often done using the method where ovaries are stimulated with medications. The use of exogen gonadotropin and gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH agonist) increases the amount of resulted embryos, thus amplifying the chance for female to get pregnant.
To increase the possibility of getting pregnant several embryos are transferred in to female’s uterus. As a result, the possibility of multi-fetal pregnancy is increased by 20-30%. The pregnancy with a single fetus is preferable to minimize and avoid any complications. The chances of twin pregnancy during extracorporeal fertilization increases 20 times, in contrast to natural pregnancy. There is10% of possible complication during extracorporeal fertilization that can be developed in over-stimulated ovaries.
