Natural conception (egg fertilization) can only occur with healthy sperm capable of binding to the chemical substance (hyaluronan) naturally present in the intracellular material around the embryo. Only mature sperm are biochemically capable of binding to hyaluronan and have specially developed receptors for doing so.
In conventional artificial reproduction methods, the only sperm selection criteria in the laboratory are visual, based on movement and appearance. There is no way of assessing sperm maturity and ability to fertilize the egg. PICSI is a new method that mimics the natural selection of mature sperm: hyaluronan gel is placed in a specially treated dish in the laboratory, where mature sperm – although they continue to move – bind themselves (stick) to the gel. Immature sperm, however, pass through the gel and the embryologist can easily remove them from the dish. This separates the high-quality, mature sperm that are suitable for fertilizing the egg. Sperm selected in this manner show fewer genetic abnormalities and chromosomal anomalies; in other words, their genetic makeup is stronger and they can make higher quality embryos.
This method is suitable for all patients, but is mainly used after unsuccessful ICSI, with poor sperm quality, after repeated miscarriages, etc.
