Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection | Lancaster General Health

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Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is an advanced technique that increases the chances of fertilization during in vitro fertilization (IVF). We may recommend ICSI for a variety of reasons, but it's especially beneficial for couples with male factor infertility (low sperm quantity or quality).

ICSI: Why Choose Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health?

At Penn Fertility Care - Lancaster General Health, you'll find:

Lancaster County's only fertility lab: We perform ICSI right in our own embryology lab, which is the only one of its kind in Lancaster County. We never send your specimens to an off-site facility for handling or storage. Our lab is equipped with state-of-the-art technology, 24/7 security and is accredited by the College of American Pathologists for its high-quality standards.
Experienced embryologists: The success of ICSI depends largely on the skill and expertise of the embryologist that performs the procedure. We have two full-time embryologists with extensive experience in this complex and delicate fertilization technique. They carefully select the best quality sperm for ICSI, and closely monitor the eggs for fertilization. So even if you've had low fertilization rates in a previous IVF cycle, we can help.
Diagnostic expertise: A fellowship-trained reproductive endocrinology and infertility specialist, alongside a dedicated fertility care team, provide comprehensive infertility testing at our IVF clinic. We have experience evaluating common and complex causes of infertility in women and men. Once we confirm a diagnosis, we can determine if traditional IVF or IVF with ICSI is the best treatment for your needs.

What Is ICSI?

ICSI is the process of injecting a single sperm into an egg in a lab. The goal of ICSI is to fertilize an egg to create an embryo that can be grown and transferred into a woman's uterus. ICSI is different than traditional IVF, which mixes many sperm with one egg in a laboratory dish in the hopes that the sperm will penetrate and fertilize an egg on its own.

Is ICSI Right for Me?

We may recommend ICSI in cases of male infertility, such as:

Abnormal sperm shape (sperm can't penetrate the egg)
Blockages in the male reproductive tract, such as ejaculatory duct obstruction
Ejaculation problems (semen doesn't leave the male reproductive tract as it should)
Low sperm count (there aren't many sperm in the semen)
Poor sperm movement (sperm can't swim to the egg)

ICSI may also be a good option if you're using frozen eggs or frozen sperm. The freezing and warming process can change or damage the eggs and sperm, making fertilization more difficult.

Did You Know? Infertility Affects Men and Women Equally

If you are having trouble getting pregnant both partners may benefit from an evaluation by a fertility specialist.

What Can I Expect From the ICSI Procedure?

The ICSI process is the same as the process for traditional IVF, except for the way eggs are fertilized in our lab. So if you have ICSI, you’ll still undergo the normal steps of controlled ovarian hyperstimulation, egg retrieval and embryo transfer.

Here’s what happens when our embryologists perform ICSI:

Egg selection: We choose a mature egg from those collected during your egg retrieval and place it in a lab dish. It’s held in place with a pipette that has light suction.
Sperm selection: We choose a single high-quality sperm that has good shape and movement and insert it into a thin needle.
Injection: The outer wall of the egg is gently punctured with the needle. We insert the sperm into the center of the egg, called the cytoplasm.
Monitoring: We monitor the egg closely and look for signs of fertilization over the next 24 hours. Once fertilized, we grow the embryo for 3 to 7 days until it’s ready to transfer.

Are IVF Success Rates Higher With ICSI?

Research shows that IVF with and without ICSI have about the same success rate. But IVF isn’t possible without a fertilized egg, and ICSI can increase the chances of fertilization in people who have certain fertility challenges.