What does ICSI-assisted pregnancy mean?

ICSI-assisted reproduction refers to intracytoplasmic sperm injection, a derivative assisted reproductive technology of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

In ICSI-assisted reproduction, a single sperm is directly injected into the cytoplasm of a mature oocyte to achieve normal fertilization and subsequent cleavage. This technique enables fertilization and pregnancy using only a few spermatozoa and is indicated for conditions such as severe oligoasthenoteratospermia, irreversible obstructive azoospermia, or previous failure of conventional in vitro fertilization. The main procedural steps include ovarian stimulation and follicular monitoring—similar to standard IVF—followed by transvaginal ultrasound-guided oocyte retrieval, removal of cumulus and granulosa cells, and intracytoplasmic sperm injection under a high-power inverted microscope to achieve fertilization.

It should be noted that individuals with certain conditions are not suitable candidates for ICSI-assisted reproduction, including those with drug addiction, exposure to occupational pollutants, severe psychiatric disorders, infectious diseases, women whose uteruses lack the capacity for pregnancy, or individuals with serious physical illnesses that make pregnancy medically unsafe.