No wonder a newborn baby brings in a lot of happiness, sleepless nights, happy tears, and the biggest joy of becoming parents. However, for some couples, the journey to be parents can be full of hurdles. Sometimes, due to various complications, a couple can be unable to conceive or become parents. This is where an IVF treatment comes in. It has been a boon for couples who are unable to conceive due to varied reasons. There are many steps and further different treatments involved in IVF. 

However, if a sperm is unable to fertilise an egg even after opting for an IVF treatment, then the couple can go for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection or ICSI. This treatment is beneficial in improving the chances of conceiving. Mostly, ICSI is opted for when a male is infertile and has erectile dysfunction, low sperm count, azoospermia, and other reasons. This treatment can be opted for at the best IVF centre in Punjab without any further hassle. 

Know more about ICSI treatment. 

ICSI, or Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection, is a treatment where a single sperm is injected into an egg. This is done to enhance the fertilisation process. ICSI treatment is meant for couples who are facing sperm-related and other issues like: 

• Low sperm count 
• Failed IVF treatment
• Low mobility 
• Erectile dysfunction 
• Abnormally shaped sperm 

What is the difference between IVF and ICSI? 

Before you start searching for the best IVF centre in Punjab or an ICSI centre, it is essential to know the difference between them. ICSI is known to be a type of IVF treatment. In an IVF treatment, a specialised doctor places a couple of sperm cells with an egg in a proper and separate dish. Later, they check if the sperm is able to fertilise the egg or if the conception does not occur. 

On the other hand, ICSI helps in boosting the chance of fertilisation. The reason behind this is that a specialised doctor injects a single sperm into one egg. However, in ICSI, as well as IVF, the doctor places the embryo or fertilised egg in the uterus. A fruitful pregnancy occurs when the embryo attaches to the lining of the uterus. 

What is the process of ICSI treatment? 

Here is a complete process of ICSI treatment explained step by step. This will also help you to guess the estimated ICSI and IVF treatment cost in Punjab: 

• First phase 

The ICSI treatment begins with the female patient undergoing a fertility test. It involves a complete inspection of the uterus as well as the fallopian tubes. A complete hormonal analysis is also involved. At the same time, the male patient has to go through sperm analysis. After getting the results and tests, the doctor will be able to tell you about your health. 

• Ovarian Stimulation phase

The second phase is the ovarian stimulation phase. In this, it is required to stimulate the ovaries to create follicles or egg-containing vesicles. This is done by injecting hormonal drugs on your 2 or 3 days of period. Further, this step continues for the next 9 to 11 days. The main aim is to develop follicles that can help produce mature eggs. These eggs will be further collected to achieve a fruitful pregnancy. After getting the results, you will get medicines and start preparing the egg for ovulation. This way, the eggs will be released from the follicle walls and proceed to the next step. 

• Phase of egg retrieval as well as sperm collection

This stage involves a doctor to perform a little surgery. This is done to extract mature eggs from the follicle after a brief period of 36 hours of trigger shot. The doctors will use ultrasound to insert needles for egg retrieval. The needles are inserted in the pelvic cavity. Also, your partner’s sperm will be retrieved on the day of egg retrieval. 

Later, the collected semen is left to liquefy for some time before getting washed to get rid of debris and unwanted particles. The doctors will analyse the semen to know its sperm quality. This will allow the doctors to select whether IVF or ICSI treatment is best suitable for you. 

• ICSI fertilisation 

ICSI treatment involves the selection of healthy sperm for every mature egg. The IVF doctor will go through the same procedure for every egg. They will then check the fertilisation status the very next day. 

• Development of embryo 

After the fertilisation of eggs and sperm, they are going to develop into embryos. Further, they are put in an incubator for around 5-6 days. After they reach the blastocyst stage, they are transferred into and implanted in the uterus lining. 

• Transferring of embryo 

After the development of the embryo, the embryologist will pick one or more blastocysts to get transplanted back into the uterus. Later, it will grow and allow you to be pregnant. 

Later, the blastocyst will be inserted by an embryologist into the uterine cavity wall. This is done with the help of ultrasound imaging. After around two weeks, an ultrasound will be done for pregnancy confirmation.  

Conclusion 
ICSI is a beneficial technique and is a type of IVF treatment. It helps in improving the fertilisation rate for couples that have specifically male infertility issues. ICSI, a valuable technique, will allow couples to experience successful fertilisation in comparison to standard IVF. However, a specialised doctor will tell you whether you should go for ICSI or IVF after an initial assessment. Further, this will help you understand ICSI and IVF treatment costs in Punjab.