# Whats the difference between IVF & ICSI?



## FJL

I've been reading up about what the FS might recomend for us. Perhaps they might want to try AIH or IUI, but if they want to jump in the deep end and pull out the big guns, then from what i've read it would be IVF or ICSI.

So what is the difference? I know the procedure of injections, egg production, egg retreival, egg fertilization and the embryo transfer, but what exactly do they do different? I've read that ICSI is where they inject a single sperm into the egg, but I thought they did this with IVF? What do they do differently with IVF?

Simple terms would be appreciated or I may look like this while I read the answers :wacko: LOL

And ICSI is more expensive isn't it? This procedure is more advanced than IVF right?

Thanks girls!


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## Mojo

i don't know too much about either procedure but i think with ivf they take multiple eggs and multiple sperm and mix them all together to maximise the chances of at least one egg being fertilized. this is why with ivf the chances of having twins/triplets etc is higher as more than one egg could easily be fertilized. 
 
here is a link on it (sorry, i know you didn't ask about multiple births but i just thought you might be interested - twins would be sooo cute:o)

https://www.womenshealthchannel.com/multiplepregnancies/index.shtml


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## FJL

Thanks for your help mojo :hugs:

I'm pretty sure they do multiple eggs with ICSI too. After further reading I *think* with IVF they put the sperm and egg in a dish and they fertilise themself, but with ICSI they inject the sperm directly into the egg.

I know that Helen knows all about IVF and i'd say wannabemum knows all about ICSI since she is starting it next year, so maybe those girls can shed some more light for me?

Tell me if i'm talking out of my A*s with the IVF Helen, i'm a bit vague at understanding things sometimes LOL


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## RachieH

With ICSI a single sperm is injected directly into the egg to fertilise. This is usually a method used where the man has problems with sperm.

With IVF the sperm and egg are left to fertilise on their own.

Other than that, the rest of the procedure for both are exactly the same. Except price ICSI tends to be a little more expensive.


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## RachieH

BTW I had IVF in 2004, so if you have any questions, shout up!


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## FJL

Thanks Rachie!

Can I ask why you had to have IVF? Was it problems with you or DH or both? One question I really want to know actually is about the egg collection. I've read that you can go under general anasthetic but they recomend a local with sedation. Which did you have? If you had the latter, was it still painful? Did you fall preg on first round of IVF? How many embryos did you choose to be transfered? How did the hormone shots affect you?

Sorry for the barrage of questions!!!


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## RachieH

FJL said:


> Thanks Rachie!
> 
> Can I ask why you had to have IVF? Was it problems with you or DH or both? One question I really want to know actually is about the egg collection. I've read that you can go under general anasthetic but they recomend a local with sedation. Which did you have? If you had the latter, was it still painful? Did you fall preg on first round of IVF? How many embryos did you choose to be transfered? How did the hormone shots affect you?
> 
> Sorry for the barrage of questions!!!

The problems were with me - I have PCOS and an LH imbalance which means I can ovulate one month, then have 6 months with nothing. I also have a blood clotting problem which meant I had 3 miscarriages and doesn't help in the quest to concieve.
My egg collection was done with a local and sedation and I didn't feel anything - No pain, no discomfort - Nothing - Just really drunk! - My legs wouldn't work properly when I tried to get off the table because I still felt drunk!
Most clinics prefer this method as they would need an anesthesiologist in the clinic to put you under a General, which most clinics don't have as a rule, the nurses are qualified to administer sedatives and analgysics, but not antheshetics. Also the recovery is quicker after being sedated, with just a short stay (Half an hour) before returning home.

Now what were the other questions......Oh yeah, No our IVF cycle failed, but I got pregnant naturally the following month, more than likely due to all the stimulation drugs I had been on for the treatment.
-While on the down regulation (Hormone suppression) meds I didn't have any side effects, as they were just shutting down all my hormones down to "base line" ready for my hormones to be controlled artificially.
The stimulation medications have an effect because your on drugs to stimulate your ovaries to produce lots of follicles. I had tender breasts, mild period type pains, bloatedness and short temperedness (lol) on these.

Most clinics will transfer a maximum of 3 embryos, most women will only get the option of 2, unless there is a low chance that the treatment will work due to factors such as advanced age (of the woman), multiple failed cycles etc.....I had two embryos transferred.

Hope I answered your questions!

https://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a28/RachieH/Graphics/goodluck1.gif


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## FJL

Thanks Rachie, that info was great! I hope you don't mind if I think of a whole new string of questions to ask you later on!


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## RachieH

FJL said:


> Thanks Rachie, that info was great! I hope you don't mind if I think of a whole new string of questions to ask you later on!

Not a problem at all!

https://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a28/RachieH/Graphics/rooting.gif


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## Helen

FJL said:


> Thanks for your help mojo :hugs:
> 
> I'm pretty sure they do multiple eggs with ICSI too. After further reading I *think* with IVF they put the sperm and egg in a dish and they fertilise themself, but with ICSI they inject the sperm directly into the egg.
> 
> I know that Helen knows all about IVF and i'd say wannabemum knows all about ICSI since she is starting it next year, so maybe those girls can shed some more light for me?
> 
> Tell me if i'm talking out of my A*s with the IVF Helen, i'm a bit vague at understanding things sometimes LOL

We had ICSI, I just always refer to it as IVF as most people haven't a clue what you're talking about if you say ICSI! We had multiple eggs injected and ended up with 9 embryos. Two of which are now Charlotte and Thomas, 6 are frozen and 1 didn't make it. 

There was an additional charge for ICSI over and above the IVF charge. I can't really remember how much though £400 springs to mind. I could be totally wrong with that though so don't hold me to it. 



> One question I really want to know actually is about the egg collection. I've read that you can go under general anasthetic but they recomend a local with sedation. Which did you have? If you had the latter, was it still painful?

I had the sedation plus I'd been for a couple of hypnotherapy sessions and took a hypnotherapy CD to play during the procedure. It may sound whacky but I'm convinced it helped and frankly I was prepared to try anything! It was a little uncomfortable towards the end but I think they got around 22 eggs which was more than they typically expect. They tend to aim for around 10-15. 

I felt a bit like I'd been kicked in the stomach the day after but after two or three days I was right as rain. 



> Did you fall preg on first round of IVF? How many embryos did you choose to be transfered?

Yes, we were amazingly lucky with our first go at IVF. Two embryos were transferred. There's a lot of talk in this country at the moment of restricting the number of embryos to one to reduce multiple births from fertility treatment. Having 3 transferred is pretty rare. 



> How did the hormone shots affect you?

Mostly I coped ok with the injections. I felt sick after the first one I had, but I think I probably put that down to all the hype and buid up rather than the injection itself. I had some hot flushes and night sweats whilst I was downregging. After I got my BFP the dose of the projesterone injections was increased and I found those incredibly painful towards the end (I took them till I was 11 weeks PG). There was an option to have pessaries instead for that bit - it was a few a day if I remember correctly which as I was working wasn't convenient (inserting and they get a bit messy from all accounts) so I stuck with the injections. I still have some bruise marks on my bum, but I bruise like a peach! :rofl:

We used an ice-pack to numb the area before and after injections and that really helped although I was limping around a bit from injecting in my legs. 

It's not the most pleasant way to spend a few weeks but a few weeks discomfort was well worth the end result. If it hadn't have worked we would've had another go, so it can't have been that bad!


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## bukky

hello helen, did u feel pain during the process


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