Acupuncture and ICSI

What’s ICSI? Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is a specialised form of in vitro fertilisation (IVF) that involves the direct injection of a single sperm into an egg, making fertilisation possible even when there are issues with the male partner’s sperm.

IVF is a more general assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedure that involves collecting mature eggs from a woman’s ovaries and fertilising them with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised eggs, or embryos, are then transferred to the woman’s uterus with a hope this will lead to a pregnancy.

Unlike standard IVF, where thousands of sperm are mixed with the egg in a Petri dish and left to their own devices to fertilise it, ICSI takes a more hands-on approach. An expert embryologist handpicks a single, best-looking sperm and injects it directly into the egg’s core using a fine micropipette. This procedure bypasses some potential obstacles that might impede fertilisation, making it an option for those dealing with male factor infertility.

ICSI is beneficial for couples where the male partner has a low sperm count, poor sperm movement, or abnormally shaped sperm. It can also be a game-changer for couples who have had previous failed IVF attempts. However, it’s essential to keep in mind that ICSI, like IVF, does not guarantee a successful pregnancy or live birth.

Many factors contribute to the overall success of ICSI. Still, the power of this innovative technique has brought countless couples one step closer to the dream of parenthood.

Can acupuncture help with ICSI success?

Acupuncture may help to improve your chances by helping both male and female partners. And even if the female partner is completely reproductive healthy, acupuncture can be helpful. I would recommend you reading our IVF acupuncture page.

For male side, we need to consider the sperm quality. As we discussed, in case of ICSI it is the embryologist who picks the best or healthiest looking sperm. When sperm fertilises the egg naturally, it is the egg that chooses the sperm that will fertilise it, and this seems to result in healthier embryos. So, if we are able to improve sperm quality with acupuncture and lifestyle changes to increase it, it is bound to be beneficial.