Fertility treatments
ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection)
A type of IVF where an embryologist injects a single sperm directly into each egg. It's the main treatment for male fertility problems.
Same as IVF
+£1,300–£1,500 on IVF
Included when clinically needed
Who it's for
- Low sperm count, or sperm that don't move or aren't shaped normally
- Sperm collected surgically, e.g. after a vasectomy
- Previous IVF where few or no eggs fertilised
- Using frozen eggs, or some frozen sperm
- Some embryo testing (PGT) cycles
Key facts
- Treatment is the same as IVF – only the fertilisation step changes.
- Success rates are very similar to IVF, so the HFEA doesn't publish them separately.
- There's no evidence ICSI helps if there's no sperm problem – it just adds cost.
What happens
- 1
Same as IVF
Stimulation, monitoring, egg collection and embryo transfer all follow the IVF process.
- 2
Sperm injection
In the lab, each mature egg is injected with one selected sperm.
- 3
Embryo development
Fertilised eggs grow for 2–6 days before transfer or freezing.
How long it takes: As for IVF: 4–6 weeks per cycle.
Success rates
- Similar to IVF for the same age group. See IVF and each clinic's statistics.
Each clinic's published rates – compared with the UK average – are on its profile in the clinic finder.
Costs
Usually £1,300–£1,500 on top of the IVF price.
| What | Price | Clinic |
|---|---|---|
| ICSI (on top of IVF) | £1,300 | ARGC |
| ICSI fee | £1,500 | Herts & Essex |
| IVF with ICSI | £6,100 | Concept Fertility |
| IVF + ICSI | from £6,975 | TFP Fertility |
NHS funding
- Included in NHS IVF where it's clinically needed.
Risks and side effects
- The usual IVF risks.
- A small chance eggs are damaged during injection.
- Boys conceived may inherit their father's fertility problem if it has a genetic cause – genetic testing may be offered first.
Sources
Prices are examples from clinics' published price lists, checked November 2026. They change – always get a written quote.