Worried about icsi

[NM81]

I'm meant to be starting icsi in October but feeling very worried. Not sure if it will work as I've had one Ivf fail and was advised to try icsi as I've got a better chance and not to try Ivf again as it won't work.Has anyone tried icsi? Did it work?

[Olivia1980xxx]

Morning . I had my first cycle over year ago . I had ICSI even though that my hubby is super ok . I had my sec cycle in end of July . Diferent clinic this time and the doctor told us that she don't understand why we went through ICSI in first cycle seeing my hubby results and this time he want us to do IVF . Well that what we though but on EC the head of embryologist come and ask us if we want IVF or ICSI ? We not a specialist in that and we told her to do what is best for us . They collect 6 eggs went to 4 and then 3 done through ICSI . One I had put back in and one freeze . Why your first cycle didn't work ? And why they told u that u need to do ICSI ?

[Hidden]

Hi there, I was also told not to have IVF as it wouldn't work and was advised to have ICSI instead. My first round failed after having a 5 day blastocyst implanted and we had no other viable eggs. We had our second attempt just 4 weeks later and I had a beautiful healthy baby boy 10 weeks ago!!!

[sipidania]

Hi NM, ICSI is about selecting the best possible sperm and forcing it into the egg. We were recommended it because I'm older so my eggs are 'tougher' than younger eggs for the sperm to penetrate, and also my husband had I think one slightly less than brilliant sample of the three tests he did, so it was recommended - basically it means they rinse the sperm to get the best ones and then select a healthy looking sperm and inject it directly into the egg, rather than hoping one will make its own way in so in theory it gives a better chance of fertilisation. We've had a pretty good success rate over 3 EC cycles with ICSI. We are due to try our first transfer in a month or two - so can't tell you if it helps more than regular IVF to succeed at that stage but it definitely has helped us get a decent stash of fertilised eggs to attempt transfer with! I think it would be a good idea if you have a limited number of eggs as you don't want to risk wasting them . Good luck!

[Kat9lives]

I had 1 cycle of normal IVF which unfortunately didn't work and then 1 cycle of ICSI and I'm now 16 weeks pregnant. 😊 ICSI doesn't guarantee success, it's a similar success rate as normal IVF but it might be better suited to you. Be prepared for hurdles along the way!! Good luck 🍀

[Cornwall12]

Hi, I had ICSI, our first attempt and I'm now nearly 14 weeks pregnant and a friend of mine had ICSI and she has a little girl and now has twin boys. Good luck and I will keep my fingers crossed for you. Xx

[sum1sweeta]

Hi so to hear of your failed Ivf, I don't know the reason for you needing ivf but for us my husband has low sperm count and morphology, I also have a few non fertility health problems. We've had two rounds of icsi, my first round I got pregnant but miscarried at 12 weeks, second round worked also and I'm now 8 weeks 2 days pregnant. Good luck xx

[Ro5ie]

I had icsi last year first cycle and I now have a 22 week old son

I had 4 eggs collected all fertilised 2 made it to blastocyst i had one put back and the other one in freeze x

[sam84]

I had Icsi and currently 5 weeks gone 😍 the only diff is they inject the egg instead of leaving it to fertilise it's self go for it its got a good success rate xo

[Rachaelrix86]

We've just finished our Isci cycle and it was a success we had a failed frozen attempt last year so this time they said icsi so we paid the extra an now I'm 10weeks pregnant xx good luck to u xx

[Amanda86]

I'm also due to start ICSI treatment in October. We are having ICSI as my partner has a low sperm count.

I'm not sure of how different the success rates are with IVF and ICSI but I do know a few people who've been through ICSI and have become pregnant.

Wishing you lots of luck 🍀 xxx

[leah30]

We had ICSI my husband has low motility and with the 8 eggs they collected advised us on the morning, after egg collection that we would probably get a better fertilised result . So we did it 5 fertilised but 2 only made it to 5 day blasts. Our first cycle failed in April but then decided we wanted to just crack on and go for our frozen egg transfer . We had long cycles with both our second one worked and we are now 9 weeks pregnant . good luck xx

[lovewinspain]

We have icsi, 15 eggs collected, 5 fertilized, n 3 survived. They transferred 1 to me n 2 r frozen. I got bfp but now it seems I h getting chemical miscarriage since I m bleeding heavily with much pain at 5 weeks.good luck to you.

[NM81]

Hi everyone thank you for all your replies they have all been really useful. Congratulations to everyone who it worked for.

Olivia1980 me and my husband were told we are perfectly fine and it's just a unexplained fertility. I tried Ivf they said I had 8 eggs and 6 fertilised but the sperm and eggs didn't meet so I should try icsi as they inject into the egg. Apparently I have a better chance. I've been so worried and confused if I should go for it as my ivf experience was quite bad as they over stimulated me and I ended up in hospital.

lovewinspain so sorry to hear it didn't work for you.

Amanda86 good luck hope it goes well for you.

[sipidania in reply to NM81]

Hi NM just to be clear, with ICSI they still collect the eggs first, and the sperm is injected in the egg in the lab - so you still have to have your eggs collected as you do with IVF, so your body still goes through the same process as far as I am aware. Good luck!

[HowCome in reply to sipidania]

Yes! ICSI is really just "IVF Plus".

At our follow- up, our consultant said ( trying to offer some comfort to DH?) that 50% of ivf cycles need icsi as well.

My DH's original sperm results were 'ok'. But on the day of my egg collection, the embryologist came & recommended icsi. Suggested perhaps he had had a bad cold or other virus in the last 3 months, which he had... Manflu during the down-reg.

He also had a head injury about 8months prior, (fell off his road bike), which has made him very tired... I do wonder if that's not helped.

Cheeky clinic have billed us for icsi as well as the ivf cost in advance this time (just started stim on my 2nd fresh cycle). We're not paying for the icsi up front!! We'll wait for the embryologist to come and tell us what she's found. (Poor hubby, that will be a horrible bit of waiting for him. ICSi is one thing I never mention to my lovely real-world supporters!)

Rant alert:... The "50% of cycles use icsi" I do wonder about... wonder if that is the case on NHS funded, or only private, where they charge an extra £1100 for an hour of extra embryology!! (Maybe they need a couple of extra lab machines.) It looks like part of the infertility racket from where I stand!

Good luck everyone !

[sipidania in reply to HowCome]

I quite like the idea that they choose the 'best sperm' for the job. Any intervention that helps improve chances of a successful outcome are fine by me. We are fully private as I was told I was one month too old to start IVF on the NHS! To be honest it's worked out better as the private clinic is near my work so much easier for all the appointments - we try and put the cost out of our heads though as there is enough to worry about without thinking 'are the clinic screwing me for cash too!' 😀. Maybe one day we won't have a house renovation, a wedding, or trying for a baby to squeeze every spare bit of cash out of us but that's not right now!! Oh yeah, maybe we'll have a kid and that's when the real expense starts!!!