When going through IVF, and in particular ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection), its super important to pay as much attention to male factor as it is female.
Usually when using ICSI there is an issue with sperm, and its ability to penetrate the egg for fertilisation. This might be due to poor morphology or low sperm count for example. Or perhaps you have tried IVF before and the eggs failed to fertilise naturally. ICSI allows the sperm to be injected directly into the egg by an embryologist.
Some might say that the ability of the sperm to penetrate the egg is no longer important as this penetration is bypassed by the injection technique.
However, just because the sperm is manually injected into the egg, doesn’t mean that its role is then finished!
As the embryo starts to develop, the egg’s energy is solely used to power cellular division, up to around day 3. From day 3-5, the male chromosomes start to contribute to the development of the embryo.
If you have experienced embryos that have arrested in development at this stage, it is a clear message that what’s actually underneath isn’t healthy enough, the genetic material isn’t viable enough, what’s happening with the male Qi is not good enough for the sperm to power through an embryo development.
Taking time for the man to work on and improve his health and lifestyle for the next 3 cycles before going for another round of IVF is super important and really effective.
Allowing a couple 3 months to prepare for conception, whether that be naturally or through IVF is really good advice. It takes around 100 days for an egg to mature, and the same amount of time for health improvements and lifestyle changes to be reflected in sperm.
Taking the time to really focus on your health and prepare properly really is key when you are trying to conceive.
Book in for acupuncture with me today and start your journey feeling fully supported and empowered through your fertility journey.
If you are looking for fertility support in Lancashire please get in touch.
Elder Cottage Clinic, Warton. 