IVF is the more universally known term of treatment for infertility and stands for in-vitro fertilization. This basically involves the fertilization of a GROUP of oocytes (eggs) in a petri-dish with a few micro liters of washed and processed sperm.
ICSI stands for intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection and involves the injection of EACH oocyte (egg) with a SINGLE sperm selected by the embryologist. Embryologists select each sperm based on its morphology (how it looks) and its motility (how it moves). This manual selection of sperm allows patients with even exceptionally low sperm counts and poor sperm motility to get the best possible chance of fertilizing oocytes – a process that may have difficulty occurring naturally.
In theory, different types of patients require different forms of treatment. However, we at Genova IVF (along with many other clinics dealing with South-Asian populations in India, Nepal and Pakistan) have found better results after using ICSI so we exclusively use this line of treatment in our lab.
Following both IVF and ICSI, the process of embryo development and successive embryo transfer and/or freezing is the same. Embryologists will monitor the development of the embryos until the 5th or 6th day and select the best ones to transfer to the woman’s uterus or and/or freeze.
At Genova IVF Lahore, our experienced embryologists and fertility doctors will be happy to speak with you to explain the IVF and ICSI process and how it can help you overcome your fertility issues and increase your chance of pregnancy.