What to expect during the ICSI process
You and your provider will decide if intracytoplasmic sperm injection should be part of your IVF treatment plan. If it is, you’ll follow the traditional steps of IVF: ovulation induction, egg retrieval, and embryo transfer.
A Penn Medicine embryologist walks you through the ICSI procedure steps:
We collect sperm for ICSI through masturbation, electro-ejaculation, or microsurgery. You and your provider decide which method to use based on your health history and reproductive goals.
We look at the collected sperm sample under a microscope and select a single high-quality sperm. Then, in a laboratory, our embryologist uses a micropipette to inject the sperm into the egg. Our on-site lab is accredited by the College of American Pathologists, meaning that we meet high standards and rigorous regulatory guidelines.
Our team monitors your egg closely for the next 24 hours as we look for signs of fertilization. When we confirm your injected sperm fertilized the egg, we transfer it into your partner or surrogate’s uterus within 3 to 7 days.