Rated grey by the HFEA for increasing the chances of having a baby for most fertility patients

What is IMSI?

Intracytoplasmic morphologically selected sperm injection (IMSI) is a sperm selection method used in intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). The technique involves using a microscope to view detailed images of the sperm under very high magnification (over x6000) to select the sperm to inject into an egg.

Risks of IMSI

IMSI is a non-invasive test performed on a semen sample as an additional step in the ICSI process. The risks associated with the use of ICSI also apply to IMSI. However, IMSI does not carry any additional known risks for the person undergoing fertility treatment or the child born as a result of fertility treatment.

Evidence

There have been several randomised controlled trials (RCTs) within the last decade showing very little evidence of benefit of using IMSI, and the evidence is also of low quality. The research that has been carried out does not support the use of IMSI over standard ICSI. One small study found that IMSI had improved pregnancy outcomes in older patients, however this study was carried out with a small number of participants and the link, if any, between IMSI and older eggs is not fully understood.

Aria’s view

While we are able to perform IMSI at Aria this ad-on is not something we routinely recommend to patients. On the day of sample production an in-depth morphology assessment is performed on the sperm sample. This takes place at two time points: immediately after the sample is produced and once the sample is prepared and is ready to use. In the lab, we use microfluidic devices that use the natural properties of the sperm to swim-up which allow deselection of sperm with abnormal head shapes and erratic motility, caused by tail defects. Before sperm selection for insemination, the sperm is placed in a very viscous media which slows down the movement of the cell, allowing for examination of the movement and shape once more. If after all the assessments, we believe that the sperm shape could negatively affect the outcome we will speak with you about IMS