ICSI is very useful in couples with male factor infertility. If the sperm count or motility is very low or if the sperm is not capable of fertilizing eggs in the usual way ICSIor intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) can be offered. In this procedure a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. In such cases ICSI increases the chances of fertilizing eggs more than IVF. However, once the eggs are fertilized it makes no difference to the chances of a successful pregnancy.

ICSI is offered in following cases:

• If there are few sperm in the semen (known as oligozoospermia) or the sperm are of poor quality,
• There is no sperm in the semen (known asazoospermia) either because of a blockage or because of some other cause, but there is sperm in the testes.
• If IVF has already tried when eggs were produced but your fertilization did not occur.

Sperm retrieval is a procedure performed for men who have azoospermia (no sperm in semen sample) but have sperm inside the testes or are unable to ejaculate. Sperm retrieval is done in such cases and then ICSI is performed with the sperm retrieved. If you need to have sperm retrieval, you should be offered a method that is appropriate to your medical circumstances and is in line with your wishes. You should be offered the chance to freeze some of your sperm after it is retrieved for possible use later.