ICSI IVF risks

Are ICSI pregnancies high risk?

Can ICSI damage the egg?

Are ICSI babies normal?

Which is better IVF or ICSI?

What are the risks of ICSI?

ICSI-IVF comes with all the risks of a regular IVF cycle, but the ICSI procedure does introduce additional ones.

A normal pregnancy comes with a 1.5 to 3 percent risk of major birth defect. ICSI treatment carries a slightly increased risk of birth defects, but it's still rare.

ICSI can increase IVF success rates but the procedure is not perfect. Here are some more common risks associated with ICSI.

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Damage to embryos. Fertilization rates with ICSI range from 50 to 80 percent. However, not all fertilized eggs develop into healthy embryos. Unfortunately, some eggs and embryos do become damaged during the ICSI process.

Becoming pregnant with multiples. Since ICSI takes place as part of the IVF process, there is an increased chance of becoming pregnant with multiples for couples that try ICSI. Couples that use ICSI with IVF have about a 30 to 35 percent chance for twins and a 5 to 10 percent chance for having triplets or more.

Carrying multiples increases your chances of developing the following complications during pregnancy and childbirth:

• Gestational diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Low amniotic fluid levels
• Bed rest
• Cesarean section or premature labor

When pregnant with multiples your babies are also at greater risk for complications, such as being born premature with low birth weight, or having difficulty breathing on their own due to immature lungs. They are also more susceptible to infections.

Birth defects. Studies show that ICSI and IVF lead to a similar percentage of birth defects as babies conceived naturally. However, the ICSI risk of having a baby with abnormalities is very minimal (less than 1 percent).

One theory is that ICSI doesn’t allow for a “weeding out” process that might occur with natural conception, and less healthy sperm are allowed to break through the egg barrier. Some speculate that, with ICSI, lower quality sperm are able to fertilize eggs. This may lead to a higher risk of abnormalities.

Some specific risks for birth defects with ICSI include:

• Sex chromosome abnormalities
• Hypospadias (a birth defect in boys where the urethra opening is underneath the penis rather than on the tip)
• Angelman syndrome and Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome

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Is ICSI more successful than IVF?

Research shows that IVF is just as effective as the ICSI procedure, where sperm is injected directly into an egg, when there is no male infertility factor. The fertilization rate in the UCSF IVF laboratory is exceptional currently 80 to 85 percent. That is to say, on average, eight out of every 10 eggs will fertilize normally. for women starting IVF, 33% have a baby as a result of their first cycle, increasing to 54-77% by the eighth cycle. Our research, published today, reports the probability of IVF success from a patient's perspective after repeated cycles, rather than how it is usually reported, for each cycle.

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Can ICSI damage the egg?

The risk of an ICSI-conceived child having birth defects is very low, less than one percent.  Fertilization rates with ICSI range from 50 to 80 percent. However, not all fertilized eggs develop into healthy embryos. Unfortunately, some eggs and embryos do become damaged during the ICSI process.

Does ICSI increase risk of miscarriage?

Studies show that ICSI and IVF lead to a similar percentage of birth defects as babies conceived naturally. However, the ICSI risk of having a baby with abnormalities is very minimal (less than 1 percent).  previous studies showed that the miscarriage risk increases with increased maternal age in women undergoing ICSI 15, 16, 17. Moreover, another study concluded that the first trimester miscarriage rates in singleton gestations achieved by ICSI were affected by maternal age.

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What are the risks of IVF?

• Multiple births.IVF increases the risk of multiple births if more than one embryo is transferred to your uterus. A pregnancy with multiple fetuses carries a higher risk of early labor and low birth weight than pregnancy with a single fetus does.
• Premature delivery and low birth weight. Research suggests that IVF slightly increases the risk that the baby will be born early or with a low birth weight.
• Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Use of injectable fertility drugs, such as human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG), to induce ovulation can cause ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, in which your ovaries become swollen and painful.

Symptoms typically last a week and include mild abdominal pain, bloating, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. If you become pregnant, however, your symptoms might last several weeks. Rarely, it's possible to develop a more severe form of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome that can also cause rapid weight gain and shortness of breath.

• The rate of miscarriage for women who conceive using IVF with fresh embryos is similar to that of women who conceive naturally  about 15% to 25% but the rate increases with maternal age.
• Egg-retrieval procedure complications.Use of an aspirating needle to collect eggs could possibly cause bleeding, infection or damage to the bowel, bladder or a blood vessel. Risks are also associated with sedation and general anesthesia, if used.
• Ectopic pregnancy.About 2% to 5% of women who use IVF will have an ectopic pregnancy when the fertilized egg implants outside the uterus, usually in a fallopian tube. The fertilized egg can't survive outside the uterus, and there's no way to continue the pregnancy.
• Birth defects.The age of the mother is the primary risk factor in the development of birth defects, no matter how the child is conceived. More research is needed to determine whether babies conceived using IVF might be at increased risk of certain birth defects.
• Although some early studies suggested there may be a link between certain medications used to stimulate egg growth and the development of a specific type of ovarian tumor, more-recent studies do not support these findings. There does not appear to be a significantly increased risk of breast, endometrial, cervical or ovarian cancer after IVF.
• Stress.Use of IVF can be financially, physically and emotionally draining. Support from counselors, family and friends can help you and your partner through the ups and downs of infertility treatment.

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