Intracytoplasmic sperm injection is a technique used during IVF in which the embryologist injects a single selected sperm directly into the centre of a mature egg using a fine glass needle, rather than leaving fertilisation to happen unassisted in a dish. It is commonly used when semen parameters are low, when sperm has been surgically retrieved, when previous fertilisation has failed, or when eggs have been thawed after freezing. ICSI overcomes some barriers to sperm entering the egg but does not guarantee fertilisation, and it does not improve egg or embryo quality beyond assisting the fertilisation step itself. Indian standard treatment workflows describe ICSI as a recognised part of IVF laboratory practice, used according to clinical indication rather than routinely for every cycle.
Also known as: ICSI, sperm injection, intracytoplasmic sperm injection
Related India guides
Sources
- ICMR Standard Treatment Workflows (icmr.gov.in/standard-treatment-workflows-stws)
- Federation of Obstetric and Gynaecological Societies of India (fogsi.org)
Last reviewed: 9 September 2026. Written by the Antega Editorial Team. General information only — always follow the advice of your own clinic, doctor or pharmacist.