Responsibility – are there risks for the child?

In Germany the risk of abnormality in a “normal“ pregnancy is 2 – 7 %, depending on how thoroughly the children are examined. This risk is not any higher or lower with an IVF-pregnancy.

Results to date show that the abnormality rate is also not higher with ICSI. We now know that in 3 to 5% of the cases where men have serious fertility problems, certain hereditary factors are responsible. If these men are able to have children with the help of ICSI, there is a possibility that male offspring will inherit the fertility problem.
In 1 – 2 % of infertile men there is an additional hereditary factor, a metabolism problem called mucoviscidosis, also known as cystic fibrosis. Depending on the genetic predisposition of the woman, there is a certain risk that a child conceived through ICSI by the couple, would also carry this hereditary trait.  That’s why we recommend genetic counseling and – if problems are identified – an examination of the hereditary conditions, to eliminate the chances of this rare occurrence.

For most couples who decide on ICSI, there is no genetic cause for their infertility. That’s why, according to current medical knowledge, there is no increased risk.

The success rate for pregnancy with simple hormone stimulation in conjunction with insemination is between 15 – 20 % per cycle. After several treatment cycles, pregnancy is achieved for about 70 % of all couples. However, only moderate forms of infertility can be treated using this method, those which have a higher chance of success.
With In-vitro-fertilization the chance of achieving pregnancy is about 25 %, i.e. about every 4th transfer leads to pregnancy. The pregnancy rate for ICSI is 30 %, even somewhat higher than IVF. There are two possible explanations. For one thing the women who use the ICSI method due to an infertility problem with their partner, are somewhat younger on the average than women who undergo IVF-treatment. The other explanation is that using the ICSI method, the chances of successfully fertilizing the egg cells is increased.

The likelihood that pregnancy will be achieved can be increased through several treatment cycles: after 4 treatment cycles the chance of achieving pregnancy is about 50 – 60 %.