Many couples suffer from infertility in Mumbai. It is due to the lifestyle they spend, or it could also be due to genetics. Couples approach fertility clinics in Mumbai, asking for a treatment option.
After diagnosis, if the male partner is the cause of infertility, they can pursue ICSI treatment. In some cases, ICSI treatment does not work out; then, the IVF specialist suggests IMSI treatment.
If you are suffering from a similar problem and seeking treatment, then IMSI could be a good option for you.
What is IMSI?
Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection (IMSI) is an advanced assisted reproductive technology. So, if you suffer from severe male factor infertility, the IMSI procedure can be beneficial.
IMSI is an advanced form of ICSI having a magnification power 16 times more compared to ICSI.
IMSI can provide you with various advantages like improved embryo quality and selection of viable sperms. It also helps to minimize the chances of abortion.
In ICSI, the specialist observes your sperms under a microscope of 500 times magnification. However, in IMSI, your sperm is being examined under high power of 6600 times before microinjection.
IMSI allows your specialist to see the detailed structure of your sperms. It helps in detecting potential abnormalities in the head, middle, and tail of the sperm. After that, your specialist picks out the healthiest sperms.
IMSI Treatment Procedure
IMSI treatment is performed in the following order:
Step 1: Preparing the semen sample
Once your specialist collects the semen sample, they will treat it with a specific solution to remove any impurities. After that, the specialist will separate the viable cells using centrifugation on the day of your procedure.
Step 2: Selection of sperms
Your specialist examines the sperms under a microscope. It helps them choose the most suitable sperm for injecting into the egg. Usually, sperms with abnormal head size and large vacuoles are not selected. So, this way, the most viable sperms are chosen.
Step 3: Selection of the Eggs
Your specialist uses a needle transvaginally under ultrasound-guidance to collect the eggs. After the egg collection, your specialist first washes the egg with an enzyme to get rid of the unwanted components. Later on, using a microscope, the best eggs are selected.
Step 4: Injecting the Sperm
Your doctor will place the selected sperm in a pipette and inject it into the egg. The microinjected eggs are kept in a sterile culture petri dish in an incubator overnight.
The specialist will keep checking the eggs at regular intervals to observe the signs of fertilization. Once the embryo forms, it is inserted into the mother’s uterus.
You can go for a pregnancy test after 2 weeks to confirm pregnancy and take further steps.
Who is the Ideal Candidate for an IMSI treatment?
You are suitable for IMSI treatment if you have:
- Many irregularly shaped sperms
- Less normal sperm in a semen sample
- Low sperm motility
- Failed ICSI or IVF treatment in the past
- More than 40 years of age
Advantages of IMSI Treatment
- Risk of miscarriage is minimized because the chances of genetic abnormality in the embryo are low.
- Increases pregnancy rates due to better embryo quality.
- Your chances of conceiving are high in IMSI
- It is also beneficial if you have unexplained infertility.
What are the Disadvantages of IMSI?
Even though IMSI has its advantages, like any other treatment, it has its disadvantages as well. These include:
- IMSI is a time-consuming treatment; it requires more hours than a normal IVF procedure
- IMSI is expensive, so most IVF clinics do not provide the treatment
So, your IVF specialist will only recommend this treatment when it is necessary because of the disadvantages.
Through IMSI, couples have achieved higher pregnancy and live birth rates. Furthermore, it has reduced miscarriage rates significantly. IMSI also improves the success rate of IVF treatment as it increases the rate of embryo implantation.
IMSI assists males with a poor prognosis. It is more helpful than ICSI if you have previous IVF or ICSI failures. IMSI has improved egg fertilization rates, quality embryos, and higher pregnancy rates.
So, consult Dr.Hirshikesh Pai and his team of expert IVF specialists in Mumbai. They can give you proper guidance on whether IMSI is the right treatment option for you.