PICSI
What is it?
Mature sperm that have completed their development should contain the enzyme hyaluronidase which digests hyaluronan around the egg. Physiological Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (PICSI) is a laboratory technique used during Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) that involves selection of sperm using hyaluronan, mimicing the natural environment of an egg, hence the coined term “physiological”.
Who should consider PICSI?
It has been suggested that male patients with high sperm DNA fragmentation could benefit from PICSI, indicating that it may pose some benefit for patients with recurrant implantation failure and/or miscarriage, as it would help embryologists find sperm with theoretically “healtheir” DNA.
What does the research say?
Currently, Studies do not demonstrate effectiveness of PICSI compared to conventional ICSI. A systematic review of multiple studies on PICSI’s effectiveness has shown no significant increase in embryo implantation, clinical pregnancy, and live birth rates, between couples who used PICSI and those who used conventional ICSI1.
Moreover the traffic light system of HFEA where it rates add-ons based on their effectiveness and safety marks PICSI as black, which indicates that there is no evidence of improved outcome when using PICSI. Additionally, there is no substantial evidence suggesting that PICSI improves safety or reduces risks compared to conventional treatments2.
Safety
PICSI is an add-on step to the standard ICSI process, while it does not have any additional risk of its own, the same risks associated with ICSI also apply to cycles that include PICSI.
(click here to see risks associated to ICSI)
myfertility’s take on PICSI
Based on the current research, PICSI may not be the solution for most patients, even if the theory behind it can make scientific sense. We do not believe it is worth the extra financial burden based on the current data, and there may be other more cost effective alternatives that hold similar theoretical weight like the use of microfluidic devices.
When you're going through a challenging and emotional journey like fertility treatment, it can be tempting to try everything available. However, it's crucial to remember that more isn't always better. Over-promises on the benefits of new technologies or "add-ons" might not deliver meaningful results. That’s why we believe that being well-informed about your fertility treatment options can significantly improve your infertility treatment journey.
It's important to consult with a fertility specialist to determine the most appropriate treatment for your specific situation.
If you want to learn more about the best fertility clinics for you, and which clinics do these treatments, be sure to check out our clinic finder and clinic matcher. We built these tools to help you find and match with IVF clinics and fertility specialists near you, and filter through them all based on their success rates, prices, patient reviews, technologies and support services offered.
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