IVF or ICSI? (Part one)

Which technique should be used during In-Vitro Fertilization: "Classic" Fertilization or Microinjection (ICSI)?!

Most likely many are wondering if we are not talking about the same thing? In-Vitro Fertilization is one and what is the difference between these two terms. The time has come when we talk about In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) to delve a little deeper by also increasing the education of patients who have been faced with this procedure.

Furthermore, I started writing this article after some time ago the European organization of human reproduction and embryology (ESHRE) reported that in Albania 100% of the ICSI technique is performed. Given that in Albania there is NO national register for reporting IVF procedures that are performed, whoever reported this data did so by guessing.

First, it should be explained that there are two ways in IVF to unite the two cells that ensure the continuation of life, namely Oocytes or eggs that are produced by the woman's ovary and spermatozoa that are produced by the male's testicles:

1. "Classic" fertilization – under special conditions, the egg and a certain amount of spermatozoa are left together and it is expected that the egg will choose the right spermatozoon by itself. This technique is practically like the natural way of joining.
   
2. Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) – with this technique, we select the spermatozoon with morphological parameters closer to the norm and "place" it in the cytoplasm of the egg.
   

It should be emphasized that these techniques are not last-minute inventions but have been known for a long time. "Classic" fertilization was the first technique used since the first baby conceived with In-Vitro Fertilization in 1978. This cell union technique is carried out when the reason for Infertility is not a decrease in sperm parameters and an example is when the reason is the blockage of the Fallopian Tubes in women.

In the early 90s, the problem with couples whose reason for infertility is the decrease in sperm parameters was also solved by perfecting and routinely introducing the ICSI technique.