01 How much does ICSI treatment cost?

An initial IVF cycle with ICSI is estimated to be $5,390 – $5,690 out-of-pocket, excluding the initial consultation. Costs may differ by state. See here for more.

02 What are the success rates for ICSI?

At City Fertility, an average of 70% of mature eggs will fertilise normally after ICSI. It is important to note that ICSI doesn’t guarantee fertilisation. There are a number of factors that influence the ability of an egg and/or sperm to create a normal embryo.

03 What are the potential ICSI risks?

Increased handling of the oocyte (egg): ICSI carries a higher risk of damage compared to standard IVF procedures. Genetic risks for the children Male children born from ICSI may experience the same fertility challenges as their father, depending on the underlying cause. Children born to men with very low sperm counts may have an increased risk of inheriting genetic conditions such as cystic fibrosis and sex chromosome abnormalities. These conditions can be screened for prior to treatment, and if confirmed, your fertility specialist will discuss your options, which may include embryo testing.

04 What are the differences between ICSI and standard IVF?

ICSI involves injecting a single sperm into a single mature egg. Standard IVF involves adding many sperm to a dish containing the eggs. The sperm and eggs are left for a period of time to allow sperm to penetrate the egg naturally. ICSI is recommended for couples with fertility challenges due to male factors or those where standard IVF has been unsuccessful.

Conventional ICSI selects sperm based on appearance (morphology only). The basis for this is that sperm with normal appearance are less likely to contain damaged DNA. Physiological Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (PICSI) uses additional factors to select the sperm. At City Fertility, we use SpermSlowTM to perform PICSI. Sperm that are bound by the medium are less likely to have damaged DNA, thus giving the embryologist extra assistance in selecting better quality sperm. To learn more, view our PICSI PDF.

ICSI Treatment

Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) is a specialised form of In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) that is used for the treatment of severe cases of male factor infertility. ICSI is usually recommended where there is low sperm count, a high number of abnormally shaped sperm, reduced sperm motility, no sperm in a semen analysis or following an unsuccessful vasectomy reversal. It is also recommended for couples who have had previous cycles where standard IVF has resulted in reduced or no fertilisation.

The process of ICSI involves the injection of a single sperm directly into a mature egg by a skilled embryologist.

This differs from standard IVF, where multiple sperm are added to the eggs in a special dish and left to fertilise without intervention from an embryologist.

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What are the potential ICSI risks?

ICSI carries a higher risk of damage compared to standard IVF procedures. Increased handling of the oocyte (egg) carries a higher risk of damage compared to standard IVF procedures.

For the child:

Male children born from ICSI may experience the same fertility challenges as their father (depending on the cause)
Some children born from men with very low sperm counts have an increased risk of inheriting genetic abnormalities such as cystic fibrosis or sex chromosome abnormalities. These are inherited conditions and may be screened for prior to treatment. If these conditions are confirmed, your fertility specialist will discuss your options which may include testing of embryos.

Please remember anyone can be affected by infertility and while it can be a challenging experience, the good news is that our fertility specialists can help you explore the options available to achieve your dream of having a baby.

Who is ICSI Suitable For?

ICSI is recommended for couples who have experienced a cycle with reduced or no fertilisation using standard IVF.

ICSI may also be used for couples where the male partner has been diagnosed with:

Abnormally shaped sperm

Slow moving sperm

Low sperm count

An obstruction such as a vasectomy, preventing sperm release

Antisperm antibodies (those produced by the man’s body and may inhibit sperm function)

A vasectomy reversal that was unsuccessful or resulted in a low sperm count or poor-quality sperm

ICSI Process

The purpose of ICSI is to improve the chances of fertilisation in cases where standard IVF may not be successful. The process involves selection of a single swimming sperm for injection into a single mature egg. Every mature oocyte (egg) retrieved is injected and then assessed for fertilisation 16-18 hours post injection.

To learn more about the ICSI procedure, please read our fact sheet: ICSI or visit our Patient information booklets page. You can also view our ICSI PDF to find out more about the process.

Step 1: Ovarian Stimulation

The first step of an ICSI IVF cycle is ovarian stimulation. It involves a series of daily follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) injections self-administered at home from Day 2 or 3 of your menstrual cycle. This medication is used to stimulate the ovaries to encourage the growth of multiple follicles containing eggs.

Step 2: Control & Monitoring

Your fertility specialist will closely monitor your ovarian response during the stimulation phase with ultrasounds and/or blood tests. This is important as medications may be adjusted to control the size and the amount of follicles.

Step 3: Egg Release

To assist with the final maturation of the egg and loosening of the egg from the follicle wall ready for egg collection, an injection of Human Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG). This is often referred to as a ‘the trigger injection’.

Step 4: Egg Retrieval

The egg retrieval is performed 35-38 hours after ‘the trigger injection’ under ultrasound guidance and takes place while you’re lightly sedated. It is important to note that not every follicle will contain an egg, and not every egg will fertilise

Next Steps

City Fertility have helped thousands of individuals and couples to become parents, and we would love to help you. Our fertility specialists will create a personalised treatment plan and guide you through every step of your IVF journey. With 18 IVF clinics, 50 consulting locations and over 60 specialists around Australia there is a City Fertility specialist to help you.

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