Intracytoplasmic sperm injection

Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) has been around for almost 30 years, and it has proven itself as the ultimate treatment for most forms of male infertility. ICSI is capable of fertilizing oocytes with individual spermatozoa retrieved not only from suboptimal ejaculates, but it also successfully utilizes gametes retrieved directly from the epididymis or the testis. In certain cases, in spite of ICSI, challenges still remain, and therefore adjustments to the assisted fertilization protocol need to be made, such as selecting the spermatozoa for the highest chromatin integrity or chemically activating the oocyte to trigger fertilization. Because of its versatility, ICSI is now the most popular insemination method capable of granting fertilization and successful pregnancy in most circumstances. While safety regarding the of health of the ICSI children has been confirmed the overuse of the technique remains controversial. On the horizon, with the upcoming techniques of time lapse and the pressing need for the introduction of artificial intelligence, the adoption of an automated ICSI device will eventually materialize.