IVF and ICSI:

One of the treatments offered at North Cyprus IVF Center is IVF and ICSI treatment. ICSI is a standard procedure at our clinic, therefore, we do not charge additionally for performing ICSI on your eggs. Suitability for IVF and ICSI treatment will be assessed based on you and your partner’s infertility testing and assessment.

In Vitro Fertilization or IVF treatment is an assisted reproductive treatment method to help couples with infertility problems conceive in the lab setting.

In cases where simpler treatment methods such as hormone replacement therapy, clomid cycle, or IUI treatments have yielded no result, IVF Treatment becomes the next alternative. In order for patients to be recommended IVF treatment, a series of testing will need to be performed to make sure both the male partner’s sperm sample and the female partner’s oocytes (eggs) are viable and suitable for treatment. If there are major problems with sperm or the eggs and the patients cannot achieve pregnancy with their own eggs and sperm, either IVF with Egg Donation or IVF with Sperm Donation might be recommended.

Just like before proceeding with any treatment, we recommend that the couple undergoes a thorough infertility assessment so that we can effectively decide for the right mode of treatment. Please visit our “Infertility Assessment” section for more detailed information on the testing procedures.

Once we are able to decide on the right mode of treatment, our treatment program works in five steps.

The 5-Steps of IVF/ICSI Program:

1. Monitoring and stimulating the development of healthy eggs in the ovaries: This is done through a process called ovulation induction where fertility medications are prescribed to control the timing of the egg ripening and to increase the chances of multiple egg growth. Since majority of our patients come from abroad, we prepare a well-charted protocol of treatment so that the medication can be taken without travelling to Cyprus. This way, the initial preparation process takes place in patient’s country of origin, shortening the time they are required to spend in Cyprus. We provide prescription for IVF medication for those who are unable to purchase them without a script. With advancements in technology, prescriptions we give can be used at websites like ivfmeds and patients can conveniently purchase their meds online. These medicines are easy to administer and we give you a very detailed chart on how to use them. This way, you are only expected to spend 7-8 days in Cyprus.
   
2. Retrieving the eggs: Once the eggs are developed through the first step, they are retrieved through a minor surgical procedure which uses ultrasound imaging to guide a hollow needle through the pelvic cavity. Sedation and local anesthesia are provided to remove any discomfort that you might experience. The eggs are removed from the ovaries using the hollow needle, which is called follicular aspiration.
   
3. Obtaining the sperm sample: This is usually done through ejaculation. Once the sperm is obtained, it is prepared for fertilization.
   
4. Fertilizing the eggs with the sperm: In a process called insemination, the sperm and eggs are placed in incubators located in the laboratory which enables fertilization to occur. In some cases where fertilization is suspected to be low, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) will be used. The fertilized eggs are monitored for about three days until they become embryos grown enough to be transferred.
   
5. Embryo Transfer: The transfer process involves a speculum which is inserted into the vagina to expose the cervix. A predetermined number of embryos are suspended in fluid and gently placed through a catheter into the womb. This process is often guided by ultrasound. About 12 days after the transfer, a blood test (beta hCG) will be used to determine if pregnancy has occurred.
   

ICSI (Intracytoplasmic sperm injection) may be recommended when there is a reason to suspect that achieving fertilization may be difficult, even when the IVF procedures are used. ICSI is most often used with couples who are dealing with male infertility factors. Male infertility factors can include any of the following problems: low sperm counts, poor motility or movement of the sperm, poor sperm quality, or sperm that lack the ability to penetrate an egg.

ICSI is not a treatment in itself. It is a procedure where the sperm is magnified by 400-fold in order to pick the highest quality sperm and directly inject it into the nucleus of the egg. Therefore, ICSI is a procedure used in conjunction with IVF. The only difference is, with conventional IVF, eggs and sperm are placed in a dish allowing for fertilization to occur. However, with ICSI, fertilization is done directly by the embryologist. At North Cyprus IVF Center, ICSI is a standard procedure with all IVF cycles unless otherwise requested by the patient for any reason.

Success with IVF/ICSI Treatment at North Cyprus IVF Clinic

With any fertility treatment, success depends on many factors. These are mainly: The age of the female patient, ovarian function and egg quality, uterine conditions, sperm parameters as well as other factors. While it is not possible to list success rates based on every single factor, we use age as the main factor when quoting our success rates at North Cyprus IVF Center.

While we realize that age is not the only factor that determines IVF success, it is highly correlated with the other factors, therefore, is will give us a general understanding of how likely a patient is to succeed. Once we actually get to review the patients’ test results for an assessment of the rest of the parameters, then we are at a better position to quote our patients their own success likelihood with treatment. For a general overview of success rates at North Cyprus IVF Center, please visit our “Success Rates” link.

Please contact us for more detail on Cytoplasmic transfer.