ICSI involves injection of single sperm in to single eggs in order to get fertilization. First, the woman must be stimulated with medications and have an egg retrieval so that we can obtain several eggs in order to attempt in vitro fertilization. The eggs are injected using specially designed microscopes, needles and micromanipulation equipment .
Some clinics use it only for severe male factor infertility, and some use it on every case.
The large majority of IVF clinics are somewhere in the middle of these 2 extremes. Certainly, as we learn more about ways that we can help couples conceive, our thinking in this area will continue to evolve. All couples with severe male factor infertility that do not want donor sperm insemination. The mature egg is held with a specialized holding pipette. A very delicate, sharp and hollow needle is used to immobilize and pick up a single sperm.