A failed IVF treatment cycle can be devastating, and at first you may not know where to turn, but it is important not to give up hope.
Although IVF treatment alone doesn’t always work out for some people, this does not at all mean that you can never start or extend your family.
Advanced treatments are available in this day and age which can be used alongside the regular IVF treatment and offer a little boost of support and improve the chances of success.
One of the most useful, and in-depth procedures available to work alongside the traditional IVF process is IMSI. If you are looking for some extra assistance with pregnancy, read on to find out if IMSI is right for you.
What is IMSI with IVF?
IMSI, also known as Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection shares many similarities with another fertility treatment called ICSI.
Just as with the regular IVF cycle, a woman’s eggs are still retrieved from her ovaries and combined with sperm. Once this fertilisation has successfully taken place and an embryo is created, this is then replaced back into her womb and able to be carried to full term.
With the ICSI and IVF combined treatment, what is different is that sperm is injected directly into the egg. This then bypasses the natural fertilisation process and increases the chances of an embryo being formed, which is great for those couples with sperm or fertilisation issues.
However, IMSI differs from ICSI due to the way the sperm is selected.
This is done by using a high-powered lens and analysing the male’s sperm sample. This allows the embryologists to look for any abnormalities in the head of the sperm and select the very best sperm from the sample, which will therefore increase the chances of better quality embryo being produced.
This treatment is an excellent option for those with both sperm and fertilisation issues but is a huge help to those with sperm abnormalities as it will mean that less is left to chance.
How do you arrange IMSI?
If after reading through this post you believe that IMSI with IVF is the best step to help you move forward with your fertility journey, the best way to make this happen is to speak to your fertility consultant.
Providing your consultant with your previous fertility treatment plans and relevant medical history will help them to decide upon a plan of action. This will be bespoke, and entirely based on your needs and experiences to give you the best chance of success.
If they do not believe that IMSI is the best option for you, they will then be able to discuss other options to help you make your pregnancy dreams come true.
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